Summary: Screw decking the halls, singing off key carols and trimming the tree. While everyone else is embracing the holiday spirit Damon Salvatore is creating as much distance from it as possible. Forced to spend his first Christmas without Elena proves to be more difficult than he had prepared himself for which results in him taking the role of Scrooge. Unfortunately for Damon this story doesn't involve a Christmas miracle or does it?

Authors Note: Merry Christmas my fellow DE fansforget Damon being trapped in hell and consider this a more holiday tale for you. This pretty much takes place during the time line of Lily's death but instead of the heretics sticking around in the Boarding House they disappear. While the rest of the Supernatural Class of 2015 prepare for Christmas Damon just prepares himself to be alone. The universe has always been against him. Take the journey with Damon and see if a miracle will finally intervene.


Christmas is the time for decking the halls with boughs of holly but in Damon Salvatore's case he'd settle for simply decking someone preferably his judgmental little brother.

It's the time to relish in a silent and holy night which is something he'd gladly take over all the holiday cheer he found being spread in this town. Sure all humans were safely tucked away from hungry vampires but that didn't stop certain vampires from wanting to spread Christmas cheer.

In Damon's eyes there was nothing holly or jolly about this time of year because rather than spending it with the one he loves he'll be spending it apart from her. Even spending it with family wasn't an option considering his mother dearest was dead and Stefan had practically shunned him because he had refused to forgive her. That was the problem with Stefan add in a few crocodile tears, doe eyes and a simple 'I'm sorry' and he was more than willing to forgive and forget.

I care too much

Everyone around Damon had always assumed he didn't care enough but deep down he cared too damn much and that's why forgiving and forgetting didn't come easy to him. Once upon a time he had loved and cherished his mother and when she had died he had grieved for her. Just like Katherine he had felt betrayed when it had been revealed she had been alive all along but a part of him had been willing to look past that and focus on the bigger picture, having his mom back. Hope had coursed through him just thinking about how he'd be able to share with his mom Elena and his story and he had even humored himself at his mother being present for his and Elena's wedding.

All he had wanted was for his mother to love Elena and welcome her into the family but unfortunately the universe hadn't been on his side and that dream he had held onto had only been a dream. What he had been greeted to was a full on nightmare and it only got worse after Valerie had admitted that Lily was the one responsible for why he'd have to spend sixty years of his life give or take without his life.

"Is it a Christmas miracle are you finally feeling guilty that you didn't forgive mom?"

Stefan's judgy tone catching his attention as he looks up from his tumbler casting his younger brother a sideways smirk "yes" nodding his head and not missing the look of 'hope' that surfaces on his brothers features.

"Really?"

"Yes" he repeats again "I'm thinking how I should have added in thank you for making it easier, for not making me feel guilty for passing up the chance to give you a eulogy the first time round. For realizing that the woman that now will lie six feet under is far from motherly and more like a monster. Thank you for ripping away my only happiness in the world and taking away the only woman who actually fought for me" surprising himself at how calm and collect his voice is. "Thank you for finally biting the dust so I don't have to endure the sight of you and be reminded of what you took from me. May you rot in hell and be sure to say hello to father for me." Mockingly he lifts his glass "cheers."

"Wow you really are an asshole"

Seeing the disgust on his brother's brooding features only drawing more of a smirk from Damon "correction since it is the holiday spirit and all I think you were looking for a more festive word like Scrooge" lifting the tumbler to his lips "well bah-humbug" tipping his head back and downing the rest of the contents.

"I get it that you and mom didn't have the best relationship but she didn't deserve the way you treated her."

The statement alone causing Damon's fingers to clench around the glass "and my girl didn't deserve to be locked in an eternal slumber while the world passes her by but like the Rolling Stones say you can't always get what you want" he sarcastically quips.

"Things have been tough I get it"

Scoffing because he knows his brother is about to deliver some saint like speech about trying to find light in said darkness the only light in my life is Elena.

"I figured you'd at least be happy that we're back home. We're no longer at the Lockwood mansion."

That seemed to be the only good thing with this turn of events. With Lily the heretics had dispersed well Love at first lay is still here recalling how she followed Stefan like a lost puppy. The main thing was Julian had also left something Stefan wasn't fond of considering he wanted him dead but oh well they'd find him eventually. Of course he had left a mess in his wake of destruction that had resulted in Damon being the OCD freak that he is cleaning it up.

"Oh yes I'm elated to be back in our house. A place that was overrun by heretics because you didn't have the balls to tell our mother to hit the road and don't come back no more, no more" he sing songs.

"Damon she was making threats on the town I had no choice."

"Look how well that worked out" rolling his eyes "Mystic Falls Population no humans except for Matt Donovan bravo brother truly you are worthy of hero like status."

Taking the tip of his finger he begins to trace the rim of the glass "Elena was ripped away from me" swallowing hard "this wasn't just our home but it was hers too. I danced with her right by that fire place" a longing reflecting in his defeated blues deciding to not add in how they had made love as well. "She told me she wasn't sorry for loving me" a bitter sweet smile playing on his lips recalling the passion in her voice "I told her I was going to take the cure because that's how much I love her." Steely blues remaining trained on the fire pit "that fire place has watched our relationship grow and it only seemed fitting for it to be there to experience a new one."

"What would that have been?"

"Asking her to marry me" he softly confesses. The pain of saying it out loud overwhelming him as his gaze falls to the floor for a few moments. Finally he forces his gaze to meet Stefan's as a furious shade of blue meets a saddened shade of green. "Lily robbed me of that chance and while I suffered the loss of Elena she found happily ever after playing house with her makeshift family. Instead of having the chance to be soothed by the memories Elena and I shared here I didn't even have that luxury" he hisses between clenched teeth.

"Damon" Stefan begins but is immediately cut off.

"When I stepped foot in this house thanks to Lily throwing a dinner party I prepared myself to be greeted to Elena's scent surrounding me and though I knew it would be painful like the fatalist I am I welcomed it." Pausing for a moment "and guess what" not even giving Stefan the chance to answer "nothing….her scent was wiped away and replaced by the smell of heretics. I didn't smell strawberry with a hint of vanilla….because like Elena even her presence was wiped away. So don't ask me to feel guilty for a woman who took every form of Elena away from me" by now his voice is booming as it bounces off the walls. "We might be home but as far as I'm concerned this is no longer home because home to me no longer was a place….it was with Elena and that monster of a woman that you call our mother took that from me." Feral growls escaping him as he's no longer able to control his anger causing him to slam his glass onto the coffee table.

Not in the mood to listen to whatever crap his brother feed him he rises from his spot not bothering to clean up the shards of glass and begins to exit the parlor room only to be halted at his brother's statement.

"Regardless of your feelings you shouldn't be alone tonight. It's Christmas Eve you should celebrate with the people who are still here….and care about you."

Balling his fits together keeping his back to Stefan "the only person I'd choose to spend it with on this dreadful holiday isn't here….I'll pass."

Thankfully the party that Blondie Forbes had put together wouldn't be done here. Instead they had opted to use Tyler's house since he wouldn't be using it anytime soon. Relieved that he wouldn't have to hear off key Christmas Carols and the sight of way too chipper for his taste Christmas decorations thank the lord for that starting to head up the stairs leading towards the guestroom seeing as he had refused to move back into what use to be their room.

"Damon"

Knowing that Stefan was far too stubborn to give up as Damon rolls his eyes not having a change of heart.

"Bah Humbug brother."

Without another word he retreats into the guest bedroom, slamming the door behind him and locking himself away from this miserable and heart breaking holiday.

Merry Christmas Damon the first of many Christmases without her

End Part 1