Chapter 14 - Articles from the past

Damon stood at the front door of Elena's house with a bottle of red in one hand and bourbon in the other. The two drinks he'd had before leaving home were wearing off: the chilly air was seeping through his black jacket. The wind was blowing softly against the trees with white snowflakes littering amongst its leaves. He pressed the worn doorbell and waited.

He stared up at house wondering which bedroom was Elena's. Damon found himself eager to learn more about her. What were her friends like? He knew Matt was a dip shit. What about her two housemates: were they like a pair of piranhas waiting to bite?

The door finally flung open and there she stood with her beauty catching him off guard. Elena's hair was softly curled to her shoulders. Those shapely legs were barely concealed underneath a black mini-skirt and her tight fitting blouse showed her curves to perfection. His eyes finally fell on hers, amazed that this woman wanted him. "Hello Elena." His hand slowly reached forward to caress her face. "You look beautiful."

Without taking her eyes off him she shut the door behind her. "Hello to you too. Thanks for coming tonight." Her arms wrapped around his waist pulling him closer.

He murmured against her hair. "I did promise you. So are you going to let me in? Or are we ditching this thing for something more private?"

Playfully shoving him away, she said, "Careful Damon. Oh and you are coming in." She pushed the front door open and he followed her inside to the foyer. Elena loudly proclaimed, "You can hang your jacket over there."

Damon smirked, happy to play along. "Thank you Elena." He'd just put his jacket on a coat hanger when they heard someone racing down the stairs to announce herself.

A blonde girl with blue eyes smiled. "You must be Damon?" She stepped forward sticking her hand out. "I'm Caroline. Elena's best friend."

Her eyes roamed over him obviously taking notes on his attire and general demeanour. He knew he was going to have a tough road ahead with this one. He could see all the questions in her eyes. Shaking her hand, he said, "It's good to have friends. I'm Damon Salvatore, you may have heard about me?" He watched her eyes bulge. Just as he thought she was going to be trouble.

Elena motioned upstairs. "I hope you're hungry. I made something warm and hearty in with weather like this: eggplant parmesan."

"Eggplant. I think you made a wise choice. Smells wonderful by the way." He stepped into the dining room where Elena's other friend with short dark hair was setting the table.

"Hi, I'm Bonnie," she announced without any fanfare on his arrival.

He sensed she was more easy going than the blonde and wouldn't be putting his balls through the wringer tonight. "Pleased to meet you Bonnie." He waved the two bottles in his hands. "I bring gifts. Who's thirsty?"

Elena smiled. "You didn't need to but thanks. I'll be back in a tick." On her return she held three wine glasses, quickly filling them with red liquid. "A bourbon for you," she said, handing Damon a glass. Elena sat on edge of the sofa beside him. His eyes roamed over her bare legs resisting the urge to place his hand on her thigh. Why the hell were they pretending to be friends again?

"So Damon we never had the chance to thank you for rescuing Elena during that terrible storm."

He swallowed his drink. Here we go the fish were already starting to bite. "You don't need to thank me Caroline, really. I'm just relieved nothing happened to your friend." He glanced in her direction realizing how true that statement had become. Damon didn't want anything bad happening to Elena: he wanted to protect her.

She met his gaze. "Nothing happened because you saved me. You know I'll always be indebted to you, forever." Her hand rested on his forearm.

Caroline skulled her drink and poured herself another when the glass was empty. "I have to say Damon I thought you were the local whack job. I mean, people do talk."

Elena gasped in shock. "Caroline, seriously?"

Damon shrugged. He didn't care what others thought except for Elena: for some reason her opinion of him mattered.

He saw Bonnie shoot Caroline a dirty look. "Care's not saying those rumours are true. You just live a different lifestyle that's all."

His brows lifted. Fuck me, how long was this dinner going to last? "I do live a life of solitude, as they say. I prefer it that way."

Caroline shoved the bowl of nuts towards them. "Don't you get lonely? I mean, I couldn't imagine coming home and having nobody to talk to. I love my girls." She stared at them both pointedly.

Elena patted her hand. "We know. We love you too. I need to check on dinner. Excuse me." She threw him a look and mouthed sorry.

Swallowing his bourbon he noticed the photos on the buffet table. There was one of Elena standing in front of a small lake with blue skies reflecting back in the water. Her hair was straight and the strapless dress she had on accentuated her tanned skin: she looked so young and carefree. His jaw clenched in annoyance because she wasn't alone, Elena was standing next to a young man who was staring at her with adoration. The feeling subsided when he recognised the family resemblance - it was her brother, Jeremy. The relief he felt was one he'd never experienced before, ever.

"Do you have family Damon?"

He turned slowly finding Bonnie standing behind him. "I do. A brother Stefan, he lives in New York and our parents are in New Jersey."

She stepped closer running her hand over a picture frame of her and an old woman in the woods. "Do you miss them? I miss my Grams."

"No."

She didn't pry any further. "I'm glad you came tonight. This is hard for you right?"

He liked Bonnie already, his first instincts had been right. "Are you some kind of mind reader?"

"No. But I'm not receiving any of those freak alert vibes, so you must be OK."

Damon raised his glass to her. "Amen to that."

Elena waltzed in placing a white oven dish onto the centre of the table. "Sorry. Dinner took a little longer than I thought. Come and get it while it's hot."

Damon shot her a glance, remembering his words at the cabin. Elena had sneaked past and thrown his quiet world into disarray. The woman had substance behind that beautiful face and desirable body. Damon sat opposite her. "I hope I'm not stealing anyone's seat?"

Bonnie shook her head. "Please. Half the time we don't even eat at the table. Consider yourself privileged tonight."

Caroline had already cut her slice and was happily munching into the food. "Hmm I agree. This is a lot tastier. I think you added a little chilli? Spice is good."

"What did you eat at the cabin? Can you cook Damon?" Bonnie asked, helping herself to some eggplant.

Elena stared at him. "He does like to cook. He even allowed me time in his kitchen. I did like those frozen pizzas though."

Damon smirked. "That's true and if I recall you like it smoking hot. My pepperoni sausage is your favorite." He watched with satisfaction when her face flushed a deep shade of red. He didn't know where that came from: perhaps he wanted the world to know he had a claim to her? He added, "and the base nice and thick."

Elena took a large gulp of her wine. "Did you know Damon has a strong scrabble brain?"

Caroline pushed her empty plate away. "I'm done. That was delicious Elena. C'mon scrabble? Really, that's the best you can do? I guess you have never played twister?"

Elena caught his gaze and saw the subtle movement of her eyes dropping to his lips. "Old school board games are more my style."

"What else is your style? Give us something. We know nothing about you. What does Elena really know?"

Here it was. He sank back against his chair watching her with distaste. "Look I'm not a serial killer, nor am I the town's local stalker. I'm just me: a guy from New York who prefers his own space. Your friend there made it home in one piece did she not?"

Caroline flushed. She'd been caught out. "Well yes. But.. Why-"

Elena snapped, "This was supposed to be a nice evening. Damon is none of those things. I'm so sick of hearing about them from people in this town. Let's move on to something else shall we?"

Bonnie motioned at the blonde. "You are helping me with the dishes like now. What's up with you tonight?"

Caroline jumped out of her chair. "OK look I'm sorry. I'm just super protective of my friends, and well there is someone who has been watching Elena."

Damon nodded. "She's safe with me. I'll assure you of that." He must of passed Caroline's interrogation because her bitchy attitude ceased and her face lost its hardness.

"Good. Then I'll let you off the hook." She promptly disappeared to find Bonnie.

Elena muttered, "I'm so sorry. She had no right."

Damon laughed. "It's fine. I can handle myself." Pulling her towards him he whispered, "Although I found you sexy as hell defending my honor." Their eyes locked on one another forgetting about the people in the next room. "You know if the time ever came I'd do the same for you."

Their heads tilted together with clear intentions on the path they both wanted to follow. Elena pressed her palms against his chest. "Damon.. Not here."

His mouth rested against her ear lobe with open access for his tongue to swirl back and forth gently. "I can't stand this damn facade. If they weren't here we'd be on that table over there naked. Come back to my cabin later?"

Her sharp intake of breath and lack of composure fascinated him. Her eyelids drooped and her body swayed closer. Half heartedly she cried, "Stop that." Trying to put some distance between them.

Before she could move away he grabbed her by the wrist. Gazing up at her he pressed his lips against her skin. "I want to thank you for tonight."

The moment was interrupted with a pounding at the front door. Bonnie ran down the stairs to see who the hell would be calling at this hour. They heard some voices and then her footsteps running back up. She glanced at Damon then Elena. "There's someone here, a friend of yours. You should come down she said it's important."

He already knew it was Andie. The bitch was out of control. "Thanks Bonnie I got this. I'll go deal with the guest."

Taking the stairs two at a time he bounded into the living room finding Andie and her camera man. "What do you think you're doing?"

Andie smiled. "Hello again Damon. No time like the present. I'm here to interview you with Elena."

He grabbed the camera guy by the shoulders. "I need five minutes alone with your boss. Take a hike bozo," he said, shoving him from the room. He glared at Andie. "Are you fucking nuts? I told you no interviews."

She ignored his protests. "You owe me Damon. Give me what I need."

Snarling, he said, "I owe you shit. I never signed that agreement and you know it. Stefan is going through the motions Andie, I spoke with him."

Andie tossed her hair. "Stefan who? Let him try Damon. Listen just get Elena down here. What's the harm? You can get your moment of fame and I'm done."

"Uh-uh. So you won't be pressuring me to tell the story about what happened on Everest? Andie, Enzo is dead. Bury the story because it's never going to be told."

Elena stood in the living room where neither of them noticed her arrival. "What's going on here?"

Damon glared at Andie. "Nothing. Ms Star was just leaving."

"You're that reporter. Are you following me?"

Andie shook her head. "Damon and I are old friends. I dated his cousin Enzo Salvatore a long time ago."

"So what are you doing here?"

"I thought you'd like to be interviewed?"

She looked at Damon. "No we don't plan on doing one."

"You heard her. Time to leave Andie."

She packed up her belongings whilst yelling out to her camera man, "Wes, we need to leave. Lets go." Brushing past them as though it was no big deal, Andie said, "OK. My apologies. Enjoy the rest of your evening."

Once they were shown the door Elena started laughing. "Is she for real? I can't believe her nerve."

Still pissed, he retorted, "She sure is. Look I think it's time to call it a night. Thanks for dinner."

Bonnie and Caroline rushed in. "Was that the reporter they are calling the next Oprah? Oh my god and you turned her away?"

Elena glared at Caroline. "No interviews. Don't even think about it."

Caroline sulked. "I don't see what the problem is. You guys should do one."

Damon grabbed his jacket from the cupboard. "Bonnie, Caroline thanks for the invite tonight. I need to head off."

"Pleasure. We hope to see you again soon." Bonnie smiled and he knew she meant it.

He pushed the front door open making his escape with Elena following closely behind. Taking refuge behind a shrouded tree in the garden, he embraced her. "So how'd I go? Your friends seem nice.."

"Really? Even Caroline?"

Pulling her towards him he kissed her tenderly. "She cares about you. I can see why."

"What do you see?"

Holding her tightly in his arms, he answered, "Well you care about others with some powerful need to help people. Elena Gilbert I believe you are quite a woman." His mouth lowered to hers and their lips parted in sync together. Elena's arms snaked around his neck drawing him closer. Feeling her lush breasts crushed against him, and her soft body pliant within his arms: sent his desire spiralling out of control. His throbbing manhood begging to be fulfilled. Reluctantly he broke the kiss. "Meet me here in an hour? I'll take you back to my cabin."

Refusing to let him go, she asked breathlessly, "Where are you going now?"

"To a bar. Now get in there and start planning your escape. I'll see you soon."

Her hands roamed over his backside cupping his tight buns. "Don't be late. One hour it is."

[~]

Elena checked her watch, eleven-thirty. Feeling like Cinderella nearing the stroke of midnight she grabbed her warm puffy coat and sneaked down the stairs without making a sound. The front door creaked open and she was sure the light was about to flick on and she'd be busted, but there was nothing only silence. Shivering she waited under the porch for Damon. He was right on time as he swaggered up the path towards her with a come-hither look on his face. "So how drunk are you Damon?"

Linking his arm through hers, he answered, "Hi baby. Can you blame me? It's cold. C'mon lets go."

After twenty minutes they found themselves at his cabin, just the two of them once more. "Does this feel like you never left?" He tossed more wood into the fireplace the amber flames crackling behind him.

"I feel a difference between us. You don't want to be rid of me, do you Damon?"

Tugging her backwards towards the sofa he covered her frame with his own pushing her down against the cushions. "No I don't and I'm not going to tell you to go away." His hand swept the hair from her eyes. "So do you want to play a game? Have a drink or take a shower?"

Elena ran her fingers across his shoulders. "I'm content right here." She gazed at him in wonder. "I'm proud of the effort you made tonight. I can't wait to show you the other things I have in mind. Damon we could have so much fun, if you let me."

His eyes held hers. "I wouldn't do this for anyone else. Overall it wasn't that bad. I thought it was gonna be a whole lot worse. "

"I'm pleased this first hurdle has gone so well. Are you going to tell me more about this Andie Star?"

"Some years ago Enzo and I were both known as a ladies man. I won't bore you with the details."

Her eyes widened and her lips pursed together. She did remember Damon saying those words but hearing them now just pissed her off.

Damon laughed at her response. "Then he met Andie and they dated for two years. When she realized he was never going to marry her, she dumped him. Not long after their split she left New York for the glitz of the west coast. The funeral was the last time I saw her, until now."

"Why is she hell-bent on doing this interview? She met me outside the supermarket trying to find out information."

"Don't worry about her. Let me handle Andie."

"I don't like her."

"Neither do I. Want to go to bed?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Elena released his hold on her sliding out from underneath him. Seductively she started unbuttoning her blouse. "Is that an invitation Damon?" He watched her strip down to her underwear. Her fingers swept over the black silk lace covering her breasts, inching lower down over her taut stomach landing on the v shape between her thighs. The sheer black thong hiding the part of her she knew he wanted so bad.

His eyes shot sparks of desire. "My God you are beautiful. You have me on fire. Go wait in my room I'll be there in a minute."

Sashaying past him in her underwear she walked into his room and damn it was freezing like she'd just been doused with iced water. After flicking on the lamp Elena opened the cupboard door to pull a blanket from the top shelf. In her haste a metal box came crashing to the floor, its contents spilling free. Bloody hell she thought: hastily bending down to retrieve them. What would Damon think if he came in? He'd think she'd been snooping. She shoved them back inside the box until something caught her eye: Disaster on Mount Everest. With 10 dead, more feared missing and the miraculous story of one climber's survival. The picture was in black and white that captured the utter chaos down at base camp. Her eyes were drawn to the distraught man sitting in the background with his head in his hands. Her heart lurched in agony – it was Damon.

He walked into the bedroom with a towel around his waist. "Brr it's fucking cold. Don't worry I'll warm you up in no time."

She stared at him and he saw the metal box open on the floor. "What the hell are you doing?" Striding towards her he yanked the clipping from her grip.

"I didn't mean.. I wasn't.." She bolted upright to plead her innocence. "I wasn't snooping." His body tensed against hers. He didn't believe her. Their new found happiness gone in an instant. She wasn't going to give up. "Damon? It was an accident. I was searching for another blanket, and I must of knocked the box down. I'm sorry."

He stared at her for the longest time. Like he was trying to get inside her head and figure out her motives. What he saw must of appeased him. He finally answered, "I know you're not that type of woman."

Elena jumped into his arms refusing to let him go. "The survivor, that was you?"

Detangling from her embrace he sat down on the edge of the bed. He thrust the article towards her. "You might as well read the rest of it."

Settling down against him, she asked, "We don't need to do this now." Elena turned his face around to look at her. "There will be plenty of time, do you hear me?"

Damon stared into her eyes. "I haven't uttered a word to anyone about this for years. I've kept it inside me bottled up like I'm about to explode. Yes I may have survived but I died in a way that day too. I didn't want to live. Until I met you.. If there's one thing I'm sure about, it's you Elena. You make me feel alive."

Elena's mouth fell open in surprise. His words sent her heart soaring to heights she never knew existed. She was the light to his darkness. His facade was cracking and it was because of her. "Damon. I don't know what to say. You just warmed my heart in a way you wouldn't believe."

His finger reached over to shush her. "I want you to know what happened. Read the clipping out loud."

Elena's hand shook as she started reading.

19th May 2013

Deadly avalanches have struck on Mount Everest during one of the busiest times of the year. Packed with hundreds of climbers, adventure seekers, on their quest to the holy grail. This freak accident by mother nature has struck the close knit community hard. Climbers have told us of their race for survival, of friends who are missing and presumed dead.

Some of them never made it back when two deadly avalanches hit within minutes of each other causing chaos on the mountain. The current death toll is 10, and 8 are still missing. It's understood rescuers are still searching for survivors after the miraculous story of one man found alive after 2 days in the elements. He is in hospital recuperating from his ordeal.

The names of climbers who lost their lives;

Tom Greener, Vincio Dimitri, Adam Johnson, Belinda Davis, Osko Hashima, Enzo Salvatore...

Her eyes filled with tears. Enzo. She wrapped her arms around Damon's waist. "I had no idea. I'm sorry you went through an ordeal like that and most of all I'm sorry you lost someone that you loved."

He snapped, "Don't feel sympathy for me. You haven't heard the full story." He grabbed the article tossing it aside. "Enzo and I lived on adrenaline: a constant need to live life on the edge. We did it all but then it just wasn't enough. So we decided to pack our bags for an adventure of a lifetime. We landed jobs as mountain guides for an American expedition company on Everest."

She kissed his lips gently. "What happened that day?"

He pulled away from her. "Once a week they gave us a day off to do as we pleased. Enzo and I loved climbing: reaching the summit is something you can't replicate with anything else on this earth. We had everything covered. The first five hours of our climb went without incident. Weather changes in an instant up there, light rain had started to fall. This section of Everest is notorious for ice falling from the crevasses and the seracs."

She felt his breathing begin to accelerate and the sweat dripping down his body. She massaged his shoulders. "You're OK."

"I was climbing ahead of him when we heard a loud rumbling noise. They prepare you for this but nothing is like seeing sheets of ice tumbling towards you and taking everything in its path. The wind picked up and I could hardly see through the layers of debris that covered me. I remember digging my way free. At first I didn't know where Enzo was... but I knew he was still.. the safety rope was attached to mine. So I followed the line: the impact had pushed him over the edge."

There it was. The truth of why Damon was the way he was. Closing the world out to hide from the pain and his survivor's guilt. Her heart ached thinking of him lost on the the mountain, his cousin gone. "It wasn't your fault."

"He was dangling on by a rope 6000m above sea level. I went down after him and told Enzo we were going to be alright. I tried.. I tried pulling him back and I nearly had him Elena, he was so close. Then the snow started to crack on the ledge above me, everything happened so fast when the second avalanche came. We had seconds before it was going to kill us both. He looked me in the eyes and he knew what needed to be done. I saw the fear and his words that still haunt me: "Do it now Damon. There's no time." Damon swung around madly clenching his fists together, shouting at her, "Do you know what that means? What he asked me to do?" He grabbed her by the shoulders. "My knife cut away the only lifeline he had, sending him to the gates of hell below. Tell me how that's not my fault? He died because of me and I might as well killed my aunt, she's dead inside."

Elena grabbed his wrists. "No. Listen to me. You did what you needed to do, and you survived. Do you hear me? You didn't have a choice Damon." Embracing him she held on for who knows how long. His breathing was ragged and his entire body was tense beneath her touch. It felt like hours where there was nothing but silence that filled the air. She cusped his face. "Stop blaming yourself. I'm so sorry this happened. Living through something like that, I can't imagine what those two days were like for you. This wasn't your fault, and Enzo knew that Damon."

"I should've been able to save him: winch him back somehow because he trusted me with his life. I fucking cut Enzo loose. Who the hell does that? He was my family. We climb together, we die together. I failed him. They had an inquest into his death and found I had nothing to answer to." Damon strode into the kitchen grabbing a bottle of bourbon and swigged it down straight. "Enzo is dead because of me."

Elena's tears streamed down her face. "No you are wrong. You loved him. Oh Damon. You have been living here on your own consumed with this guilt. This has been eating away at you for years." She pulled him into her arms. "Tell me what I can do? I'm glad I touched a part of you. Maybe it was fate that you were the one who rescued me. I want to help, please let me."

"Enzo is never coming back. I can't forget Elena and I won't."

"I know. Come with me." Elena pulled on his hand and he followed her to the bedroom. "Lie down," she said, whilst her hands removed the towel from his body. "What you need is something to relieve all this stress." Her fingers explored over his naked skin massaging the tight muscles. "You are so tense. Relax."

Damon tightened his shoulders as her fingers pressed into his trigger points. "Your bedside manners are lacking. I thought this was supposed to you know put me to sleep or something."

"Be nice." She deepened the massage trying to get through the tight knots in his shoulders. "I'm glad you told me Damon. You shouldn't be carrying this on your own. It's too much burden for one. I'll help you any way I can."

With one swift move he swung around pressing her down into the mattress. "I trust you. You gave me something worth fighting for – my life."

Breathing heavily she traced her fingers along his arm. Acutely aware of his naked body against hers. She wasn't cold anymore. She felt on fire with the need to comfort him. To ease his pain. His eyes were stuck on hers with an intensity that made her heart hammer out of control. Her fingers clasped behind his neck drawing him closer. "Make love to me Damon."

He lowered his mouth to hers placing a light feathery kiss upon her lips. "You are special, do you know that?"

Yanking his lips to hers once more she kissed him deeply. Her body arched upright fitting snugly against his chiselled frame. His erection pressing proudly against her own pulsing centre. Damon groaned and ripped away her knickers. Pushing himself against her he teased her with his shaft. Her legs parted automatically along with her cry of delight. "Ooh. That's good."

Slowly he entered her and withdrew. "You feel so fine. I want to feel all of you Elena no barriers." His hands lifted her hips and filled her completely. She wrapped her legs tightly around his waist bringing him deeper. Their hips grinding against each others fast and frenzied until they exploded with fireworks and a new found intimacy.

Wrapped in each other's arms, Elena started to drift off to sleep. Damon kissed her shoulder. "You fit perfectly here in my arms, like you were always supposed to."

Her eyes fluttered open. He was right. Elena could easily find herself falling for him and hard: heck maybe she already had. Turning to face him she whispered softly, "You have me Damon. I'm not going anywhere."