The Boarding House

By: Darkest Ember

Chapter 28: I Need My Girl


Summary:

Elena and Jeremy Gilbert are orphaned once again and have nowhere else to go except the mysterious Salvatore boarding house…

Disclaimer:

I do not own any of the Vampire Diaries characters. This is written purely for entertainment purposes.

Previously:

Bonnie works with Matt to find a spell that would help him deal with his bloodlust. They decide to go to the graveyard for unnamed Civil War soldiers to perform the spell at the site of significant bloodshed. Stefan seeks help from Lexi to not only get Elena safely away from Damon, but to help Stefan get back on track. After some heated arguments, Damon and Elena are caught in a surprisingly intimate moment in which Damon asks Elena to show him how to love.


Being in such close proximity, Elena could see the lust-infused desperation clouding Damon's stormy blue eyes. Her heartbeat tripled as she wondered what she should do. A part of her wanted to rip off her clothes and let him take her in any way he saw fit. But that was a small part, filled with a dark desire that felt uncomfortable and unfamiliar.

Elena cleared her throat, while wishing that she could just as easily clear the thick sexual tension lingering in the air. "To feel love," she began, "you need to have people you care about involved in your life. The kind of people that you would do anything for. The kind of people you would be willing to comfort when they're sad, or share in their laughter…"

As she listened to her own words, Elena began to wonder who she had left in her life. Her parents were gone, but she still had Jeremy and Jenna, albeit at a different house than her own. She had friends – Bonnie, Matt, Tyler, Caroline, maybe even Stefan. She'd do anything for them.

Would I do anything for Damon? She wondered, brow furrowing as she contemplated some scenarios. If I could save his life, would I?

Her thoughts were interrupted before she could reach a definitive answer. "I feel that way about you," he said, no signs of his usual sarcasm or mocking. When Elena couldn't help but offer him a skeptical look, he fleshed out his thoughts. "When you're around, I feel happier than I've felt in decades. When you look at me like I'm some sort of evil monster, it kills me. Yes, I've done some terrible things. I'll admit it. But if you'd just give me a chance…you might just be surprised with who you'll find."

"Your games caused me to be taken away from the only family I had left," she said softly, her voice losing its edge with each word, almost as if the fact didn't sadden her as much as it once had. "You've probably killed more people than I'd care to count and you've almost gotten me killed. You don't do that to someone you care about, Damon."

"Let me change your mind," he whispered. He saw Elena starting to protest, so he acted quickly. He cupped her face in his hands and swooped down to capture her lips and send any more words right back down her throat.

Elena sat frozen still and eyes wide open as Damon kissed her. Quicker than she'd care to admit, the passionate and pleading heat from his kiss seemed to melt across her flesh and encouraged her response. But once she closed her eyes and her tongue started to dart across his, images of him vamped out and covered in blood plagued her mind. Just as sudden as the rendezvous began, it ended with Elena pushing him away.

Damon could've easily ignored her feeble shove, yet he backed away. Elena looked at him with confliction, which was far better than accusation and hatred. "I-I guess that got a little out of hand," he commented, unable to contain a smirk.

Elena only nodded as her chest heaved up and down. "I think I just need to be alone right now." Thankfully, Damon complied and stepped out of the room, though not before Elena noticed the small, sincere smile that cracked on his lips. She'd never seen him smile like that.


Bonnie cradled the grimwoire in her hands as she led the way down the slopping hills en route to the decrepit burial grounds of unnamed civil war soldiers. Matt, with his newfound strength and bearing, walked down the hill with ease; however, his undead heart was beating with uncertainty.

After a couple minutes of stepping between the rows of unmarked graves, Bonnie came to sudden stop. "This is the center of the cemetery," she said in a trancelike voice.

Matt glanced around at the plots. Even though it was sunny outside, it somehow seemed darker here. "So, what do we have to do for the spell?" he asked.

"It's surprisingly not that complicated," she said with a shrug. She placed the grimwoire on the ground and opened to the spell's page.

Just before she was going to start the chant, Bonnie stole a glance at Matt, who was looked so very uncomfortable. She reached out and placed a hand on his knee. "Hey," she said smiling, "everything's going to be alright. Just remember, once this spell is done, you won't have to worry about controlling the more…monstrous side effects of being a vampire."

Matt laughed, but it didn't hold any joviality. "So, you're saying I'll just be a really strong, really fast high school quarterback for eternity?"

"Pretty much," she teased, feeling relieved that whatever was troubling Matt became less relevant in his mind.

Deciding to utilize the half-hearted positive feelings, Bonnie took a deep breath and closed her eyes. With hands extended over the unkempt grass and weeds, she began chanting the spell. For a moment, everything was silent and still. Then, a gust of wind swirled around them, turning the pages back and forth in the grimwoire. Despite the first familiar feeling of hesitance, Bonnie continued the spell, somehow reciting the words without the grimwoire.

Blinking through the windstorm, Matt was horrified to see blood bubbling up through the dirt and weeds. The cracked, off-white tombstones soaked up the blood and became crimson-stained. "Bonnie…this doesn't feel right," he said. He quickly realized that she hadn't heard him over the blistering wind. "BONNIE!" he shouted, fighting his way against the wind to reach her.

Bonnie could faintly hear Matt calling her, but her focus was so unbreakable, she couldn't acknowledge him. It was as if her eyes were stapled shut and the words to the spell were pouring out of her mouth like an unstoppable amount of word vomit.

Once Matt reached her, he shook her and continued to shout her name. He was startled when her eyes shot open, she stopped speaking, and the wind vanished.

With her eyes locked on his, Bonnie said monotonously, "It's done."


Caroline stared at the three empty desks that surrounded her in the history classroom. She knew that Elena was suspended – as well as she should be, Caroline thought with a hint of bitterness at the thought of Elena having both Salvatore brothers, while she had no one. Nevertheless, Elena's suspension didn't explain why Bonnie and Matt were missing. All the possible scenarios of where they could be began playing in her mind, thus successfully keeping her distracted from whatever war Mr. Saltzman was discussing.

Is it just a coincidence that they're both missing? Or are they together?

Unable to deal with this uncertainty any longer, Caroline shot her hand up into the air and asked to go to the restroom. Alaric allowed it, though felt his suspicion rise when he looked at the now four empty desks in the middle of his classroom.

Once Caroline was in the restroom, she ran to a stall in the far corner of the room and pulled out her phone. She dialed Bonnie's number and wasn't too surprised when she got nothing but a couple rings and the option to leave a voicemail. With an annoyed huff and a roll of the eyes, Caroline left a message.

"Bonnie Bennett! I'm not even going to start asking where you are now because it's tonight that matters. You better still be going to the masquerade dance with me tonight!"


As Stefan and Lexi drove back to Mystic Falls, they avoided the subject at hand by dishing all the details of their lives since the last time they'd seen each other – some time in the late 90's. Despite feeling happy that up until recently, Stefan had been doing well, Lexi couldn't hide behind the safety net of conversation.

"So, what do you think we should do with Damon? I think it would probably give us the upper hand if we have a plan before we just show up."

Stefan cringed at the sound of his brother's name, which caused the reality of this unfortunate situation to come rushing back to him. "There's a cellar in the back of the basement where we could lock him up. I'd considered doing it myself as soon as Elena and her brother moved in, but I was too weak to compete with him at the time…"

"See, that wasn't so hard," Lexi said. "We'll sneak into the boarding house, attack from behind, and lock him up. A couple of days without blood would probably do him some good."

It seemed simple enough, but as Stefan stared out at the passing scenery, more insecurity came to mind. "What if he tries to use Elena as a bargaining chip or something?"

Lexi had to admit she hadn't particularly considered that. Even so, she didn't seem nearly as concerned as Stefan. "If she hates being there as much as you claim, I'm sure she'll leave at some point tonight. We can wait till she's out of sight before we go in."

Somewhat satisfied with her response, Stefan reclined in the passenger seat and chuckled lowly. After Lexi shot him a questioning look, he felt the need to explain. "Does it make me a terrible person for sometimes wanting to drive a vervain-soaked stake through Damon's heart?"

"Normally, I would say yes, but…considering this is Damon we're talking about, I'd say those feelings are completely justified."


Damon had his favorite drink in hand: a glass of bloody bourbon. After all, he felt the need to celebrate. All those looks filled with fear or anger that Elena usually gave him – none of them were present when he kissed her. A part of her, however small, cared for him, he just knew it. He felt so content that he didn't even bother stopping her when he heard the kitchen door open and close.

Conversely, Elena was completely on edge. It took Elena near fifteen minutes before her heartbeat returned to its normal pace. Even though it was a simple kiss, it felt like so much more. And that was what terrified her.

Unable to stay cooped up in her room and not wanting to run into Damon just yet, she tore through her drawers and closet until she found clothes comfortable enough to wear for a run. She'd noticed a dirt trail that winded through the woods in the backyard, so she decided to see where it would take her.

As her feet pounded against the trail, she wondered how much worse her life could get. Her parents were dead, she couldn't live with her remaining family and was instead legally trapped in a boarding house run by two vampire brothers, one of which forced her into a marriage and got her suspended from school. When was the last time I've spent time with Bonnie and Caroline? She thought.

But then a different train of thought came to mind. Before all this chaos, the most exciting thing Elena had to look forward to was planning school dances and going to football games.

When was the last time I felt so alive?


After the storm had died down, Bonnie and Matt remained sitting amongst the bloodied tombstones. Matt felt shaken to the core, like something had been ripped from inside of him. Even so, he was quick to notice a thick stream of blood leaking out of Bonnie's right nostril.

"Bonnie, you're bleeding," he said, alarmed.

Bonnie barely seemed to care at first as she used the back of her hand to wipe away the blood. But then, her eyes brightened. "How do you feel? How do you feel when you see my blood?" she asked, holding her hand out toward him.

Matt stared at the blood for a moment or two without feeling the slightest tingling in his gums. "I feel…nothing. It worked!"

"We need something more large-scale to make sure, though," she said as she gathered the grimwoire and listened to the message Caroline left. She nearly dropped her backpack as a large smile crept across her face. "I know just the way to test it."

"What do you have in mind?"

"We're going to go to the masquerade dance tonight. If you can stand being around that many people, then I'll consider this to be a successful spell."

"I just want to feel normal again," Matt sighed.

"Here, I'll call Elena and tell her to come. You, me, Caroline, Elena, and Tyler…it'll be just like sophomore year all over again!"

The phone rang a couple times before Elena answered, somewhat out of breath. "Hey, Elena, what've you been up to? You sound like you just ran a marathon."

"I kind of did," Elena laughed. "I went for a run through the woods behind the boarding house…just trying to clear my mind."

"Well I have the perfect distraction for you. Come to the dance tonight!"

Bonnie could hear the hesitance on the other line. "Bon, you know I'm suspended."

"It's masquerade-themed. No one will know it's you," she replied. She knew Elena couldn't argue with that logic.


As Damon listened to Elena return and run water for a shower, he was surprised to hear that she'd gone up to the attic instead of returning to her room. Curiosity got the better of him as he followed her and nearly fell back down the steps from the sight he was greeted with.

Elena was staring at her reflection in the dusty mirror. She surveyed her appearance in a dress that Damon knew all too well. It fit her exactly as it had fit the former Petrova. And the way her damp, wavy hair fell over her shoulders…it was driving him mad.

"Going out tonight?" he asked, making his presence known.

Elena let out a startled cry as she spun around to face him with her cheeks burning red. "Sorry, I know I probably shouldn't be up here going through all your things, but I needed a dress last minute. There's this masquerade dance at school tonight. I'm going to sneak in…"

"Well, for what it's worth, I think you found the perfect dress." Try as he may, Damon couldn't tear his eyes away from her as memories of him ripping the dress off Katherine in the heat of a southern summer evening played in his mind.

"Just out of curiosity, why do you have so many dresses up here?"

"Really, Elena? Do you think only men have lived here over the years?"

Elena shrugged, silently admitting to the silliness of the question. She glanced at her phone and realized the dance would be starting soon. "I guess I better get going," she murmured.

Damon didn't want her to go, but what choice did he have? He'd made what he would consider progress earlier today, and the last thing he wanted to do was digress. His smile was forced as he stepped out of her way. "Have fun," he said stiffly.

It wasn't until she'd started her car and drove down the driveway that a brilliant idea crossed his mind. He would go to that dance, all dressed up and disguised. He would prove to Elena that she feels something for him by making her think he was a stranger. Then at midnight, when everyone takes off their masks, she'll realize that she wants him as much as he wants her.

In a flash, Damon had changed out of his clothes and into a suit. He couldn't remember the last time he felt so eager. He strolled down the staircase with a noticeable bounce to his step and a grin on his face. As he opened the door, he was met with an all too familiar face.

"Don't you look dashing? Hope you don't have plans tonight," Lexi grinned, jabbing a stake into Damon's abdomen.

His icy eyes narrowed into angered slits as he gripped her throat. "You of all people will not ruin this night for me."

"Maybe not," Stefan said from behind him, "but I will." And with that he snapped Damon's neck.


It didn't take long for Damon to regain consciousness. He coughed as air came rushing back into his lungs and his eyes adjusted to his dimly lit surroundings. His heart sank when he realized that they'd thrown him into one of the cells in the basement. Stefan was watching him through the barred portion of the door.

Although Damon's bones protested any sudden movement, he sped over to the door, reached through the bars and gained a tight grip on Stefan's collar. "Listen to me, brother, if you don't let me out right now I'll –."

"You'll what?" Stefan sneered. "For once, Damon, you're in no position to threaten me."

Damon rolled his eyes at the sound of Stefan trying to sound so high and mighty. "Alright, you win this round. You can lock me up to your heart's content tomorrow, but not tonight."

"Wow, you must've been on your way to something really important. You know, we saw Elena leave looking pretty dressed up herself. Were you going to follow her?"

"Why, are you jealous?"

Stefan's expression hardened. "All I want is to keep you away from her. Now tell me, where was she going?"

Damon laughed and took a few steps away from him. "I can't be near her, but you can? By definition, we're both dangerous. Neither one of us should be near her, using your logic."

"Tell me where she went!" Stefan growled. When he didn't get the desired response, he stuck his arm through the bars and emptied a water bottle full of vervain-laced water onto him.

Damon cried out as the liquid dripped across his body and burned the flesh. The pain was absolutely unbearable, but even so, he kept his thoughts focused on Elena. Tonight was his last chance. The resolve was strong, but it was cracking against the plethora of bottles that Stefan was ruthlessly dumping onto him.

As he collapsed on the dirt floor, Damon muttered, "The…dance."

Stefan realized that the school must be having a dance. "Thanks for your cooperation," he said, watching Damon writhe as his skin sizzled and the steam burnt holes through his suit jacket. "I'll go to the dance myself, say goodbye to Elena, and tell her that she's free to leave. You'll stay down here for a couple years, maybe until Elena goes off to college. Then everything will be right in the world."

Damon groaned as he forced himself up off the ground and glared at Stefan. "You mark my words, I will get out of here and I will make her mine. And you will regret ever having gotten in my way, brother."


In the next chapter: Someone will die. The consequences of Bonnie's dark magic will manifest. And Elena will share a passionate dance with one of the Salvatore's. I already have this chapter completely planned out, so I'm hoping to be able to update soon!

So far, I'd say there's 3-5 chapters left to this story, so get ready for the epic conclusion!

Thank you: Damonsalvgirl, KaterinaPetrova, elis, MissWhatEver207, , Salvatore-soul, DElenabound, 4evrMrsAcklesSomerhalderWesley, MelissaSomerhalder, ayna93, and some guests for your lovely comments! Also, thanks to all the readers for your patience and interest in this story :)