Hello! So, this chapter got a bit longer. But, given that I'm only updating once a week, consider it a bonus (totally not me getting carried away, of course not…)

Our love birds are coming back to New York on this one. And, like I promised, I will start to shake things up a little bit.

I hope you like it.

Chapter 15: Fight Club with a twist of cockblock

DAMON POV

I hadn't given much thought on how I was going to act around Elena after last night. In all fairness, I was still too dumbfounded with the fact that my carelessly love confession ended with her in my arms, kissing my fears away, instead of her running away to the hills.

Call it vulnerability or whatever, but she's just too important for me not to be insecure about it. Therefore, when I woke up with Little Gilbert jumping the pull-out couch I was laying on, to run from Jenna, who, for some reason, was chasing him with a spatula, the only thing I cared about was the smiling Elena following them.

I grinned like an idiot just by the sight of her, completely ignoring the other two running around. My eyes were locked on Elena the entire time. Jenna and Jeremy ran to the kitchen, childishly screaming with each other, and my girl turned to me. The blush that instantly heated her cheeks just made me smile wider.

— Hey. — She said, glancing to the corridor to check if her aunt and brother weren't back yet. She was so, so shy, and it was the most beautiful thing in the world.

— Hey back. — I got up, standing right in front of her and caressing her arms. She looked over my shoulders again. I laughed. — You're totally freaking out, aren't you?

— No. — Elena answered, a little bit too quickly. I raised an eyebrow, smirking, and she gave in. — Maybe. It's just… — She bit her lip. — You make… nervous. — I laughed even harder, and she narrowed her eyes furiously, throwing little girl's punches on my chest. Once her tantrum was over, she sighed. — This is so unfair. I'm nearly having an anxiety attack here, and you're so… — She looked at me like I was literally offending her for being collected. — Calm?

I held her chin with the tip of my fingers. — In case I haven't said enough yesterday, I will repeat it again: I love you, Elena. And I've always wanted us to be more. — I shrugged. — So, why would I be nervous about it?

And even though her eyes were shining with love, the fact she just stared at me in response made me scared again. The sun had come up again, after all; we weren't alone anymore; and she had the whole night to fill her head with second thoughts.

What if…?

— Do you regret it? — I asked, that unusual feeling of uncertainty creeping back in me.

Elena shook her head hurriedly. — No, of course not. I want us, too. I love you, too. — I sighed, letting go of the weight that had started to hurt my shoulders again. — Damon, the only reason I didn't reply right away now is because I was distracted debating whether I should kiss you or not. Because I've been dying to ever since—

And have I mentioned how much I love the "shut her up with a kiss" cliche? Because I do. And Elena… Oh, she's sweet. She melted in my mouth just as quickly, and her hands were on my hair, pulling up the strands of it, drawing me closer, magnetizing our bodies closer. And I know she forgot all about her family members when our lips touched, because there's no way in hell she would be making out with me like this, wrapping her arms around my back and feeling me, if she remembered this little fact.

Still, when the sound of bickering died in the kitchen, she managed to pull away just a few seconds before Jenna came from the kitchen.

Elena was flustered, with burning cheeks and kissed-lips. My hair was all over the place, and the tissue of the t-shirt she was holding was rumpled. Yet, Jenna didn't say a word. She did look back and forth between us weirdly, but chose not to comment, deciding to make a request at me instead.

— Damon, can you cook us breakfast? — She batted her lashes at me. — Please? Because I burned the bananas, and now Jeremy can stop laughing at me, and I swear I'm this close, — She held her index and thumb close together to illustrate. — From murdering my nephew.

I laughed, only half-cured of having Elena attacking me with her tongue. Or, answering eagerly to my attacks, whatever. — Yeah, sure. — I agreed, smoothing my hand on Elena's back for a brief second, glancing at her. — Do you want something too? — I wiggled my eyebrows suggestively.

She shook her head "no", and I smiled, leaning in to kiss her temple before heading to the kitchen with Jenna. In the corridor, I decided to win some points in my favor. — Do you want me to tell Little Gilbert to take out the trash? — I suggested. — This way you will punish him indirectly for making fun of you and it won't even be your fault.

Jenna considered. — That's a good idea, actually.

I chuckled. — Don't sound so surprised, Jenna, I didn't go to college just because I have a thing for sorority girls.

Jenna rolled her eyes, but I saw a smile there, too, so progress… I guess. Jeremy complained like the kid he is, but he wouldn't dare argue with the guy who was cooking him breakfast. On his way out, he came back to announce that he was going to buy us something to drink with Elena. He said we were running out of juice and milk, which was true, but I know his sister's suggestion had nothing to do with that.

I flew my black wallet to him, saying that as long as he didn't waste too much money on bourbon, I wouldn't kick his ass. He smiled gratefully, and I came back to the pancakes in front of me, flipping them like a pro.

Jenna was watching me. Very, very suspiciously. I mean, she would've to be an idiot not to catch on to the tension between me and Elena. Thankfully, we weren't so close to the point she would confront me about it. Not that I would mind talking. It wouldn't be the most fun conversation, but now that who needed to know already knew and was on board with the idea, definitely on board if our earlier kiss is any indication, I'm ok with repeating the "I love her, won't her hurt" speech. But I would rather talk with Elena first to see how she wants to approach the subject.

Or, this was my original plan. But when the four of us were finally eating my marvelous pancakes, and Elena slapped my hand away when I was about to fork the damn thing, just to make a chantilly vampire's teeth beneath the blueberries' smiling face of it… We kind of ended up acting a little bit too obvious.

I smiled with sparkling eyes; which, sure, was nothing new to anyone who knows us. But Elena doing the same, so openly, clearly was new, and did the job of puzzling her family. Jeremy, for instance, frowned at us, and asked, with a full-mouth of pancake. — What did I miss?

Both Elena and I answered at the same time.

— Nothing. — She said.

— Mind your own business. — I did.

And, if Jenna wasn't bold enough to be nosy when it was just me, Jeremy's comment seemed to pave the way for her to ask what she was meaning to the whole morning. — No, in fact, I'm quite curious about it, too. The two of you… — She gestured the knife between us. — There's something different.

— Yeap. — Jeremy agreed, popping the "p" like I always do. It made me smile. — And you sneaked out yesterday, too.

— Yeah! — Jenna agreed, remembering the details she apparently hadn't brought up to Elena yet. — What was that about it?

I looked at Elena who suddenly went a thousand shades of red-ish white, from the pale one to the stone-ice color. I sighed, here we go, ready to be her whiteknight in shining armor. How this girl is constantly making me want to play Prince Charming, I have no idea, but I secretly like it. — I got a call from a patient of mine. — I explained. — It was… an emergency call. And Lainey took me on a night walk to ease my stress.

It wasn't a complete lie. Expect for the not mentioned bits of love confessions and make outs in front of the Eiffel Tower. But we gotta give her aunt and brother a K-Rated version of it. Or a T-Rated if they decide to be too pushy. The mature content is safe for our private moments and late chapters.

Yes, dear reader, I just winked at you as I said this. I'm a fucking loser.

— A patient… Adam? — Jenna asked. And when Elena and I nodded, her face softened. — That's why you were all mysterious and quiet in the living room, too, isn't it? Oh, Elena. — She took her niece's hand from above the table. — Were you crying?

Yeap. Her cheeks were red earlier because she was crying, not because I kissed her breath away.

Elena started to nod again, but Jeremy got in the way, trying to figure out who the hell we were talking about, since whatever relationship we created with Adam had happened after his departure to Paris. — What patient? And how does Elena and Jenna know him?

— His name is Adam. I've been treating him for awhile now. I had to take him to the Presbyterian due to the asthma I didn't know he had; and Elena was his doctor for the day. — I said, leaving out the times we hung out with the kid and it wasn't at all about our duties.

Elena mentioned that for me. — And sometimes he stays with us. You know, he comes to the Grill to watch movies on the rooftop with me and Damon, when he has a bad day.

— And he went to my date with Ric at Luna Park, too. — Jenna added.

But Jeremy was only focused on one thing.

— Wait, wait, wait… — He held out a hand for me. — You let a kid you barely know, hang out on your all-so-sacred roof, that only Elena is allowed to go to, and you don't let me step one foot in it?

I glanced at Elena. — Are sure he's a Libra? This jealousy thing is so Taurus.

She smiled. — I think he has a Venus on it or something.

— Hello! — Jeremy called us, hating how we completely ignored his question. Jenna was drinking on her glass of orange juice, trying and failing, to hide how much she was having fun with his childish act.

I squinted my eyes at my emo baby baby brother, correcting my previous assumptions. — Attention seeker. My mistake. Definitely a Leo.

— Damon, come on. — Jeremy dropped his fork on the half-empty while plate. — I never saw that damn roof! How is that fair? I'm your brother, too, am I not?

— It was my idea. — Elena declared, doing a fantastic job in ending his outburst.

As if the brother argument would have worked. Stefan is my brother too, and he isn't allowed to go there either. That rooftop is mine and Elena's only. And I still don't want to think about why it's different with Adam, it just is.

Jeremy opened his mouth a few times, settling with the curiosity trait of his natal chart. — But… Why? You never made him take me.

— He lost his parents. — Elena elaborated, purposely leaving out the horror of his story. — It was a sensible topic for me. He's six, — She emphasized, letting him know that, as a kid, he really deserved the special treatment. — And you know Damon does anything I ask him to. — She said, casually, probably getting into the teasing me part to smoothly change the way the conversation was going, in a direction that would save us for explaining our new Facebook status.

— Hey! — I protested, helping her out.

Jenna smiled. — Oh, don't pretend she doesn't have you wrapped around her little finger. And you clearly love it.

— It's her manipulative Cancer Sun. — Jeremy fired back, smiling proudly of his comeback and winking at me, before flowing a huge piece of pancake to his mouth. Never crossed his mind that his sister totally won this round.

The rest of the day went by real smoothly. I managed to steal a few kisses from Elena when neither of them weren't looking. But, mainly, the three of us gave Jeremy a spoiled day, mixed with video game battles, French snacks and willing ears to listen to his nerd speeches. I will never get over how many nuances there are about the word "Fiction" and how this Hayden White dude doesn't think History it's actually science because it's too artistic for it and— Oh god, why do I always end up with dudes with crazy obsessions as brothers? And as best friends, too? Because Alaric is no better. I mean, the guy is a college professor for crying out loud! And Enzo works for the FBI. And Klaus paints creepy masterpieces — although he's a bit low on my list of best friends at the moment, but you got the memo.

And, speaking of brothers, Stefan has been ignoring my calls.

Normally, I'm not the type of big brother who checks on his younger one every five seconds. But, I needed to make sure I would call him at least once while I was on this trip, because his life is just super messy right now, and I'm worried. The problem is that he fucker didn't answer me!

I turned off the phone, groaning in frustration because it's been a whole weekend and he didn't even bother to tell me that he's alive. I know he has more problems than he lets it show, a lot of them that goes beyond being cheated by Caroline, but I'm his brother. How can I be there for him if he won't tell me what's going on?

Yeah, I know, as soon as my life is at stake, all the Psychological lessons I use on a daily basis at work just seem to disappear completely. But I guess I just thought Stefan and I were closer than that. Besides, if I get home another day to find him on my couch, staring hopelessly at the ring he bought to propose to Blondie, I'm gonna shove that thing down his throat. Or Klaus' throat. Just throw it on a river. Give to Barbie Klaus. Sell it. Who cares?

Again, I'm a very understanding therapist.

— As soon as we get out of this plane, I'm gonna chase his broody ass. — I said to Elena, who had heard my rant about how irritating Stefan is for the last fifteen minutes.

And yes, dear reader, we are already on the plane. Jenna decided to stay a few more days, so it's just the two of us. On a seven-hours flight. Trying to overlook that we both wanted to go to be seeing stars and floating on clouds in a much more devilish way. And, unfortunately, the only thing that was effective to help me brush it off my desire for her, even if just momentarily, is thinking about my brother's issues.

Wait,what?

Am I running from the title of broodiness or something now? This is not my department!

— That's the first thing you are going to do when we get home? Fighting with your brother? — Elena tip topped her fingers through my arm, walking them up to the crook of my neck, to my throat… And when she finally stopped to hold the side of face, she brought her lips next to mine and pouted. — Not taking care of your girlfriend's needs?

Fuck.

I didn't even know you could get a boner this fast. Elena played with my hair, stretching herself towards my seat to reach my earlobe and lick it; and when she bit the tip of it, I knew my eyes had darkened because her expression shifted from tease to lust in the space of a second.

I kissed her immediately; the rest of the world faded away and all I could think of was how her hand was sneaking underneath my black t-shirt. My lips parted, and she took the opportunity to deepen the kiss, biting on my bottom lip just slightly and pushing it with her teeth. I groaned, feeling dominant and jealous all the sudden, and holding her against her seat, trying as much as I could to hide us from the other passengers.

As I open-mouthed tasted the coffee she had drank earlier, and that was still deliciously stuck on her tongue, Elena wasn't able to hold back a moan. And that seemed to flash what we were doing in neon, on a great big billboard, enough to offend the old man sitting in front of us. The buzz killer scoffed loudly, deciding to make himself noticed.

Geez, just let my girlfriend distract me a little, would you? I'm getting broodiness symptoms and they are very, very severe.

— This is a plane. — Said Captain Obvious, his annoying voice forcing us apart. — There's children in here. — He pointed to the kid who seemed to be sitting by his side, and I fought the urge to wave mockingly at the boy. — Show some respect!

Elena held onto my t-shirt and hid her face on it. — You make me do the craziest things. — She whispered, embarrassed, once the old man had returned his attention to the window.

— Oh, please. You turned into a minx before we met, geek girl. — I teased, quoting the first words I said to her. Which she seemed to recognize, because she let go of my arm to look me in the eye, all doe-like and in awe.

She grinned. — I love you.

— I love you, too. — I went to kiss her, but when she closed her eyes with an awaiting expression and willingly lips, I decided to pay her back with a tease of my own. — I have never done it on a plane before. — I whispered, doing my best to keep my voice as low as possible.

Elena pushed me back to my seat, smacking me with a horror look on her face. — Damon!

— What? I haven't!

— I was being so sweet, saying that I love you…

I placed a finger in her lips, shutting her up in the second best way of doing so. — Ah-Ah. You were kissing me hard enough to make my jeans tight, don't even try to pretend you're innocent on this, Elena.

She giggled. — It's still your fault.

— And how is it my fault? Enlighten me, please.

— You taste really, really good. — She said, not even bothering to keep her voice down as I did. And it is so fucking sexy to hear those words when she's looking at me with that angelic enchantment and those sweet eyes that gives nothing away. — And I can't get enough of you.

This girl will be the death of me, I'm telling you.

— For Christ' sake! — The old man exclaimed, dropping something in the lap of the kid next to him. — Julian, put the headphones on, please.

— But, Grandpa—

— Julian.

— Fine.

I think the voice-reminder that there was an actual child present made us keep our hands to ourselves. Sure, that certainly didn't stop me from snuggling her to my chest, but we kept our kisses very church appropriate and only dirty-talk through glances.

It was disconcerting all the same.

— This flying thing was so much easier when we were just friends. — I sighed.

— But it wasn't nearly as fun. — She shot back, and I smiled, knowing she was right.

I was so eager to fly back home so I could have more alone time with Elena, without the prying eyes of her aunt and brother who were so obviously curious about the new status of our relationship. But, if I knew, if I had any idea, of what was waiting for me in New York, I would have rented an apartment in Paris, next to Jeremy's, locked myself in it with my girl, and stayed in the ignorance of our perfect love bubble.

Oy! Give me a break, universe!

I just got Elena. Couldn't you at least let me enjoy her a little bit before having a chat with fate to plot the new ways to ruin my life?

I mean, I get it, I get it. Now that my love life isn't a problem anymore, Fate and Universe just needed to find a new way of making me miserable. But, come on, opening up the files of 'dad issues' and 'family problems' is a bit too extreme, isn't it?

Well, apparently, the almighty abstractions don't think so. Because while I was staring with heart eyes at my beautiful girlfriend, who managed to fall asleep on my lap in the short ride from the airport to our home, my phone rang.

It was Rose, asking me desperately if I was back already because my brother was throwing punches with Klaus at the Grill. According to her, Blondie and the Mikaelson were drinking at the bar, and after Caroline headed off, my brother showed up out of nowhere, from the corner he seemed to be hidden on, and, predictably, that led to a no-so-fun recreation of Fight Club.

Welcome back home.

Oh, and spoiler: I didn't know it at the time, but that wasn't even the worst call of the day. Too bad no one can predict the future, huh?

The door of my bar-restaurant opened and I quickly spotted my brother sitting at the bar with a white towel pressed against his bleeding nose. I made a move to start walking towards him when the dickhead who had punched him appeared in front of me.

Klaus had a red eye and was being shoved off by his younger brother Kol. — What the fuck do you think you doing? — I asked, feeling my anger increase by the second.

— Look, man. He had it coming… — Klaus began reluctantly, which happened to be a very out of character approach for my smug British friend; but, nonetheless, I cut him off immediately.

— He had it coming?! — I took one step closer, ignoring the way Kol put himself slightly in front of his brother and not giving a fuck about the attention I was drawing. — You fucked his girlfriend! How come you have the sense to hang out with her at my bar and fight with my brother when the last time you were here I even gave you free booze to cry over your mistakes!

To my surprise that didn't make Klaus back off like I thought it would. No, he stepped in from his brother's protectiveness and stood toe to toe with me. — This is not just about Caroline! — He spoke angrily. — And, as you damn well know because you saw it happening, it was your brother who stole her from me. — He hissed bitterly.

— No one stole anyone. — I argued. — As far as I'm concerned you were the one who broke the friendship code when you slept with her behind his back!

— And you brother broke the boyfriend code when he let the girl he claims to love fly off the country with a broken heart because he was too busy covering up your father's crimes! — He fired back, allowing himself a half-smirk when noticing my confused expression.

And I did blink twice, because whatever happened between them before I got here, it never crossed my mind that, somehow, my father's name would be in the middle of it.

Klaus didn't explain any further, he just eyed me one last time and passed through me, Kol following him right after. I turned around to do the same, part of me wanting to press him to explain what the hell he meant and the other part of me wanting to beat the shit out of him. But before I could take one step, Elena placed a hand in my chest to stop me.

— You should go see Stefan. — She said softly, instantly calming me down. I nodded.

Once I got closer, I noticed it wasn't just Stefan's nose that was bleeding as I had deduced from a distance, his Adam's apples were red-swollen and he had a cut in his lip. Yeah, it was pretty obvious who made the other guy look bad, and it wasn't my brother.

He dropped his gaze when I stood next to him, meaning that he wanted me to drop it. But he should've known better because there was no way that I would. — Do you want to tell me what's going on?

— Not really. — He answered.

I was about to burst out when I felt Elena's hand in my arm again. I looked briefly at her and she mouthed a "not here" warning, to remind me where we were, to remind me that between my brother's fight with Klaus and my lovely arrival, we had already given enough for the press to talk about it.

— Fine. — I sighed, squinting my eyes at my little brother. — Come on, we're talking at my place. — Stefan began to say my name to dismiss me, but before he could speak more than a syllable I repeated the words firmly, in a tone that made it clear this was not up for discussion. — We're talking at my place, Stefan.

He let out a loud breath and stood up, accepting Elena's help to walk him outside. I glanced at Rose, my faithful bartender who had warned me about all this mess. — Thank you. — I said sincerely.

— No better way to welcome you home, right? — She teased.

I laughed, in spite of everything. — Yeah, tell me about it.

The ride to my apartment was quiet. It wasn't like I wanted to start arguing with my brother from the backseat of a car anyways. Thankfully, he also had the decency to sit in the front, so I at least could count with the hold of Elena's hand to calm me down, and avoid sharing an even more awkward silence with him.

And Elena is heaven sent. She just handled everything so well. It's not like it was the first time she saw me lose my temper, it used to happen a lot back in our college days, mostly with my father when I still relied on his money and hadn't opened the Grill yet… However, it has been awhile since it last happened.

In fact, whenever I'm having a bad day, I just need to go to her and she will take it all away. And when Elena's working or studying, and I don't want to bother her, despite her protests about wanting me to do it, I go for option two and call Ric so we can both get wasted.

Because of all of this, I feared my behavior tonight could have scared her. I know for a fact that it can be frightening to women to see men raising their voices, it doesn't matter who they are. I saw it happening when my dad used to do it with my mother and, as a therapist, I have heard plenty about it too.

But she didn't flinch once. On the contrary, she made sure I wouldn't do anything stupid and, as soon as we got inside the apartment, she went to pick up a first aid kit to take care of my brother's bruises.

Like I said, heaven sent.

I watched in silence as Elena carefully cleaned the blood from his face and gently applied first-aid dressings and a CeraVe healing ointment with a cotton-swab. After finishing it, she put the used items together in a towel.

And, because I haven't stopped staring at my brother the whole time, not even to pour me a glass of bourbon, he, eventually, spoke. — I'm not covering anyone's crimes!

Apparently Klaus' accusations had been said a lot louder than I thought if he was able to hear it from his seat in the bar.

I shrugged. — I never said you were. I don't even know what the fuck Klaus was talking about. I just asked you what happened and stopped you from causing another scene for the tabloids to publish. Thanks Elena for that, by the way. — I waved in her direction.

— Ok. — Elena stepped in, standing from the arm couch she was sitting on. We both turned our heads to her. — I'm going to take this to the trash bin. — She gestured to the stuff in her hands, then glanced between the two of us. — And let you boys talk. But I will be in my bedroom, so don't you even thinkabout starting a fight, got it?

Stefan and I nodded. Elena sighed, and with everything now already stuffed in a plastic bag that was hanging in one of her pulses, she walked towards the armchair where I was sitting. Her free hand tousled my hair backwards and she placed a kiss on my forehead. — Don't make me have another injury to take care of, ok? — She asked, a lot more softly.

I smiled. And, to my surprise, she leaned in to cup my face with her hands and kissed me lightly on the lips. I closed my eyes, sighing with the tranquility it sent to me. I guess the need to calm me down was more important to her than the shyness of revealing the new status of our relationship to my brother.

She then turned to Stefan, who was obviously surprised by the development we had on the trip, but smartly kept his mouth shut. — That goes for you too, Stefan. — She said. — Your face is bad enough as it is.

I don't know what I did to deserve this girl, but, whatever it was, I'm just really glad that I did, because it got me to have her in my life, and I don't really need to ask for anything else. I observed her as she walked to the corridor that leads to our bedrooms with a half-smile in my face. A smile that faded as I turned to look back at my brother.

— Spill. — It was all I said.

Stefan took a deep breath. — I'm not covering anyone's crimes, but Dad has been stealing from the company.

— What. — I said, astonished. Because it doesn't matter how much I hate the guy, the only thing I know he values in his pitiful workaholic life is that damn company. The Mikaelson and Salvatore's Law Company is all he cares about, hence why he turned out to be such a crap father and an even crappier husband.

Stefan touched his hurting cheek, flexing his jaw as the pain of the wounds seemed to get to him. — Do you remember when I first started working there and not so long after Elijah left his position to become a college professor?

I agreed, without having any idea where this was going. — Yeah, Klaus and I got him drunk to congratulate the fact another of us had ditched our father's wishes.

— If only I had followed… — Stefan muttered coldly.

Putting my now empty glass of bourbon aside in the center table, I asked in frustration. — Brother, what are you trying to say?

He sighed. — I'm trying to tell you that Elijah left because he found out about the dirt work his father was doing in the company.

— What, Mikael is involved too?

Stefan nodded. — Apparently.

Fuck, this was going in a much worse direction I expected. To be fair, I didn't know what to expect when Klaus blurted out that accusation at the Grill, but I definitely didn't think it would involve a plot between the heads of the company, as it seems to be the case.

Thank God I left the law business to pursue my own interests before I ended up being dragged into something like this.

— Wait. Are you not in the middle of this, are you? — I asked, as I thought that even though I was free, my brother had not only followed my father's footsteps, but he also worked in the said company.

Stefan looked at me in disbelief. — Of course not. How can you even ask me that?

I raised my hands defensively. — Sorry, baby bro. I don't trust that our father didn't make you do some shit without your knowledge. And how can he and Mikael rob their own company? They love that shit. Hell, they love their business more than their own children.

— They had a fight. — Stefan explains, letting out a bitter laugh. — Well, more like a civil war. I don't know the specifics, I rarely get my hands on the stuff it's not addressed to me. All I know it's that they weren't on speaking terms when I began working there and our father claimed Mikael was ruining the company. He never told me how, so I assumed it had more to do with the rivalry they started; which, eventually, ended up making our father send me on a lot of business travels across Europe so we could get new clients, make more money.

He ran his hand to his hair, which, for the first time in his life, was not on point. — But it didn't matter how much money we made, it still seemed like it wasn't getting to the company. I mean, the numbers just didn't match the deals we were making.

— Fuck. — I reached to pick up the bottle of bourbon and pour me some more. Alcohol was very much needed if I was going to keep listening to this shit.

Stefan nodded. — Yeah. It took me a while to realize. I was always travelling, so I didn't spend much time at home, not enough to notice. Until I started to date Caroline and we were always making an effort to stick around some more. — I noticed how his voice cracked a little when he said her name. Which made me feel a little bad for calling him names on the plane. This whole thing seems to be killing him.

— I spent the last year digging into dirt about our father since it was all I could get my hands on. And, to sum up what I gather, both Mikael and Giuseppe are robbing their company because they believe the other isn't trustworthy anymore and they won't risk sharing the gains. This has been going for years. But, personally, I think they just got too greedy and this isn't about protecting their share anymore.

I shook my head. — Why didn't you tell me any of this?

It's a sincere question. Because sure, I don't want anything to do with the Mikaelson and Salvatore's, I always hated everything that damn company represented to our family. But I know it's different to Stefan. My little brother was fascinated with advocating ever since he was a little boy. It never was about the money for him, it was his dream, just like owning a bar-restaurant was mine. And, no matter what, he is my brother. I would never have let him face this kind of shit alone.

However, that seemed to be exactly the reason why he kept me in the dark. — Damon, our father made your life a living hell during your whole youth. I didn't want to drag you to the mess you had run away from.

— Stefan, this is bullshit. You know very well I would rather help you sort this out than letting you deal with it on your own. — I looked at my brother, noticing that, without Caroline, who was probably the one keeping him sane through this whole thing, whether she knew it or not, the weight of all of it hit him hard and was now clear in his exhausted state.

He opened his mouth to speak, but the buzzing coming from my phone interrupted us. I took the thing off my pocket and rejected the call, but before I could shove it back into my jeans, it started ringing again.

It was a number I didn't recognize.

Stefan noted the frown in my eyebrows and gestured for me to get it. — It's alright, take it. It could be important.

I slit my finger on the screen and pressed against my ear. — Damon Salvatore.

— Hello, Damon. I'm Alanna from the Fells Church Hospital Center. I'm calling to inform you that your father, Giuseppe Salvatore, had been admitted due to his prostate cancer.

So, what did I tell you about a second call from Hell?

— What do you mean I'm not going? — Elena asked, as I finished my last minute packing. Or, in other words, while I threw a bunch of clean underwear and t-shirts in my emergency bag since my main one was already filled with our things from Paris.

I zipped the thing, dropping on the floor of my bedroom. — Babe.

— No. — She argued. — Damon, your dad has cancer.

— Do you want to know how I feel about it? — I asked. — Honestly?

She rolled her eyes, taking my hands in hers. — You know that I do.

God. I really, really love her.

I smiled. — You're perfect. — I said, getting sidetracked from the original point without even realizing. But I just needed her to know how much I appreciated her by just being there for me. — You might have too many morals than what it's considered healthy for a normal balanced human being. — She chuckled, already swinging our conjoined hands. — But, other than that, you're perfect.

— And I love you. — She said simply, kissing me slowly and lovingly. — But I still want to know how you're feeling, bad boy. And you don't need to sugarcoat me.

I sighed. Well, she asked for it. — I couldn't care less about it. — I admitted, half shrugging. — He stopped being my father the moment he beated me for the first time.

— Damon.

— Too many morals. — I warned her, jokingly.

She squeezed my hand. — No, that's not what I'm saying. I respect that, I really do. God knows how much I hate that man. But… — She looked at me tentatively. — Stefan doesn't know what he did. And he might be angry now, but you know he will stay in Virginia for as long as Giuseppe needs him to.

— I know. — I reassured her. — Baby bro was still looking for his redeeming qualities before this company thing blew off. He probably still is. — And It was my turn to look at her tentatively. — That's why I need to go to Fell's Church, too. I can't let him do this alone, Lainey.

She nodded. — I agree. But I can't let you do it alone either.

— Elena.

— Stop fighting me on this, Damon. — She stared at me seriously. — I already called the hospital to let them know I would need a few days off. Kol is a Mikaelson, he will cover for me.

I cringed. — Babe, this might take more than a few days.

— Then, we will figure it out after those days have passed. — Elena said, as if it was all that simple. And, with her looking at me like that, it really felt so. — I'm going to pack now. Book a ticket for me too, ok?

She started to walk out of my room, but I held her by the wrist and pulled her back to me. She barely had the time to register and I was already kissing her. It was urgent, and maybe a little bit too rough than we were going for so far, but my body was demanding for me to take her, so I did.

Because I needed this. I needed her.

Not that she minded. Elena actually responded by flexing her nails on my back, her hand sliding to my jeans until it reached my back pocket and she stopped there, putting four of her fingers inside of it and pressing them against my butt to pull me closer to her.

My mind went completely quiet and blank. Suddenly, it was as if we had come home just to pick up from where we left off in Paris. And, while I had her breasts on my hard chest, finally being able to kiss her like I've always wanted, I forgot all about the skies falling. All I could think of was Elena, Elena, Elena.

I let a half-breath, half-moan dissolve into her mouth and I held her tight because I knew she was liquefying beneath my touch, too.

Elena tried to pull back before we could take things too far; most likely because Stefan is waiting for us and might show up at any minute… But I shook my head at her attempt, ambushing her with my lips again. I can't get enough of you, she said to me on the plane. And I was starting to believe, because before I could realize, we were stumbling on our feet and falling on my mattress.

I held her jaw gently to give me better access to her neck, and I just knew it was her sensitive spot because she said my name in a needy moan that cut right through me, as if it was coming from both of us. Her legs were rounding my waist, and I felt her heels teasing me above my jeans, as if she was trying to take them off. And I would've let her undress me, gladly, but having my brother as an audience was not how I wanted this to go. I'm not this much of a voyeur, ok?

So I just kissed her and kissed her and kissed her.

Until, eventually, I pressed my erection against her, just one last time for good measure, and drifted apart, lying on the mattress by her side with a lazy and satisfied smile playing on my lips.

Elena rested her head on my pillow, smiling just as goofy, and I tangled a finger in a brown-chocolate strand of messy hair. — Maybe you should brush it. — I said casually, smirking. — Because you have sex hair. Which, by the way, is so unfair because I only got to make out with you.

She groaned. — This is torture. I don't know how I slept in the same bed as you all this time without jumping on your bones.

I laughed. — Right back at you, princess. — I moved to the top of her to kiss her again, and this time, she didn't even try to protest. We both knew it was pointless.

— Ugh. My eyes! — Stefan said from the door, covering his face with a horrified expression. What is this, a cockblock chapter?

I picked up the other pillow available in my bed and threw it at him. — Get out of here!

Elena hid her face on my chest, pulling my t-shirt to cover it further. Baby bro just laughed, shaking his head in amusement. — Hey, I'm glad you two worked things out. But we got a plane to catch.

— Give us a second, will you? — I asked.

He pointed his index finger at me. — You've got five minutes. — He conceded before leaving it.

I turned to Elena. — I think we can accomplish a lot in five minutes.

She giggled, but we were both stopped by brother calling out from the hallway. — I heard that!

The boarding house in Virginia's Fells Church is an incredibly huge piece of old architecture that has been in the Salvatore's family ever since the first immigrants from Italy got to the United States. Stefan and I lived here when we were kids; until our father moved to New York to run the show of the Mikaelson and Salvatore's Law Company with his best friend Mikael. There, we got to form a bond with Mikael's children who we occasionally used to see on the holidays when both of our families got together to celebrate.

Then, our father was diagnosed with cancer, and we came back to spend another year here. That is, before my rebellious disagreement regarding Giuseppe's plans for me made him kick me back to New York, and I was forced to attend Law School for a year or so.

And the rest I believe I already told you. I fooled around. Crashed at a bunch of places. Drop school. Psychology major. Met Elena.

Anyway.

And that phone call from Hades is how I ended up here: sitting with Stefan in one of the very fancy couches at our childhood home, drinking some of the most expensive wines of our father's cellar, while we waited for the arrival of the only nurse Giuseppe ever tolerated. Elena was sleeping in my old bedroom upstairs, the poor girl was wrecked from the two flights we had to endure in less than twenty four hours, too tired to even fight with me about it.

— We should go check on him. — Stefan said, looking at the clock on the wall.

He was right. It had been three hours since one of us did; and the main instruction we got, both from the doctors when father was discharged from the hospital, and from Lexi when we called her, was that we needed to keep an eye on him just in case.

Yeap, his cancer had lit like a Christmas tree and the 15-year survival rate was cut short. But he was Giuseppe Salvatore, and if he wanted to die at home instead of laying in a hospital bed, he had enough money to make it happen.

I sighed, taking a long gulp from the wine and placing it on the center table before standing up. — I'll go. Do the honors if our favorite nurse arrives.

Normally, Stefan would have done anything to prevent me from being alone with our father, but lately it seemed he had more chances of starting an argument with him than I did.

I never thought there could come a day when my little brother would be banished from our father's hospital room because he had been screaming to the point it made Giuseppe pant in stress. Not that I could blame him for it. If Klaus misinterpreting a conversation he heard from Elijah led him to make false assumptions regarding my brother's caracter, I can only imagine what the others from the company won't think when all of it comes out.

Besides, with everything that has been going on, I actually think it's healthy that Stefan got some of his feelings out. He has always been the kind who bottled all up on the inside. But that's just the problem, if you feel too much, like my brother does, you can't just pretend that it isn't there. Because when things come to surface, and they will, it's almost impossible to stop the explosion from burning whatever and whoever it's around.

— When will Lexi be here? — The rough voice of my father interrupted my transe.

I kept looking at the nothingness for a little longer, not even acknowledging that I had heard him. The blueness of the sky was getting darker as the night began to rise. In five hours I will be able to call the ladies at the orphanage to check on Adam. I had to recommend him to another therapist while I'm here, and I hate, hate it, that even this my father is screwing up.

I turned from the window to look at the man that didn't look at all familiar, in spite of the fact he is, unfortunately, my father. — Why? Are you afraid I will smother you with a pillow? — I asked with a forced smile.

He laughed; and I was yet again reminded that he was, indeed, my father, because it was a laugh that resembled so much my own. — You have every right to hate me.

— You're right, I do. — I said harshly. How unlucky am I that he's always awake when I'm the one that comes to check on him?

Giuseppe shifted in bed, sitting straight against the headboard. — But you need to understand that I only wanted the best for you.

— Oh, and did you want what was best for Stefan as well when you made him work to death because of the money you were stealing?

He sighed. — I don't expect you to comprehend my reasons.

— You know what? Never mind. — I cutted him, waving off all the excuses he was about to give. — I just came to see if you weren't dead. You're not, so I don't have to be here anymore. Save your lies for when you will need to bribe your way to get a fancy cloud in Heaven.

I walked past him, slamming the door behind me without ever looking back.

That's the exact reason why I forbade Stefan from calling our mother to tell about her former husband's condition. She was married to this asshole for half of her life, she doesn't need to feel like it's her duty to come here to help.

My body crashed on the couch at the same second the doorbell rang. I looked pleading at Stefan who nodded and got up to get it. However, it wasn't the expected nurse who was at our doorstep. — Rebekah, what are you doing here? — I heard him asking, and with a glance at the door I saw him wrapping her in a bear hug.

I tune out from their talking, not feeling like eavesdropping right now. I already have enough to deal with it, I don't need to add another round of my brother's love life drama to it.

I know it's selfish because Elena has a life in New York, too, and she already used her last days off, apart from the vacation time she has restored, to visit Jeremy… So she shouldn't have flown with me to this goddamn town to spend the next days revisiting my past shadows, while dealing with the version of me I thought was safely buried in the yard outside. I should have been more insistent on making her stay.

But I know I will sleep tonight with her body heat warming up mine, and right now, that cozy feeling of home is all I need. Because she is my home, she has always been, no matter where we are psychically. My heart is safe as long as it is in her hands; and in the present time, she's tightening hers just to hold mine.

— Keep him while you can. — I said to Rebekah, when she and my brother eventually came to join me in the living room. — Because Lexi is coming soon and she's very territorial.

Stefan rolled his eyes. — Actually, Lex will only arrive in the morning.

I scoffed. — Great. Another day babysitting a dying man.

— I can check on him for you guys. — Rebekah offered, and both Stefan and I raised an eyebrow at her, our mirror movements reflecting our siblings' traits. — What? — She shrugged, innocently. — I can always smother him with a pillow.

And that, right there, is the exact reason why I always got along with the Mikaelsons, we share the same murderous thoughts over our fathers. That can bond people for life. And, suddenly, I'm missing Klaus a little bit. Enzo is good at making me drink. Ric is good at making me talk. But Klaus shares the same baggage of hateful dads, and he kind of is the friend I needed right now.

Well, but you can't always get what you want, right?

I smiled. — Oh, Bekah, it will be nice having you around. — She was as good a replacement as I could get. Plus, she would help Stefan, and he sure as hell was needing it.

— You look better since the last time I saw you. — She said, patting my cheeks lightly in her way of greeting. — Paris treated you well.

Stefan stepped in, wearing a boyish smile that I, honestly, haven't seen in his face since this whole thing started. In fact, I may not have seen since Caroline fucked him over. I always knew Rebekah could be good for him again, even as a friend.

— I would say that Elena was the one who treated him well. — Stefan said, smiling with the closest thing he has to a teasing look.

Rebekah shot me a curious glance.

— Let's just say that Elena and I are a thing now. — I said, without being able to contain the smile spreading in my face.

It was for the best to tell be anyway, it would save us from having her asking directly to my girlfriend.

And, have I mentioned how good it is to even call her my 'girlfriend', and not just my 'best friend'? Don't get me wrong, she's still my bestie, much more than any of the boys in my life, but being more feels so, so good.

— But no teasing! — I pointed between the ex-high school sweethearts, as they made themselves comfortable on the couch in front of me. — She's still a bit shy about it.

Stefan chuckled. — That's why I walked in to you two making out instead of packing for our flight?

— It's more effective than a t-shirt to update people, isn't it? — I smirked, stretching my arm for the new bottle of wine Stefan had got while I was upstairs, but changing my mind when I was about to fill up a glass.

I gave it to baby bro and Barbie Klaus, dropping the closed bottle against his chest. — Gotta go check on my girl. Have fun, kids! Don't do anything I wouldn't do.

— We are just friends, Damon. — My brother countered, repeating the same speech Rebekah gives me everytime I mention it. A speech I know too well, because I have danced all the steps of this song with my girl.

I smiled at them. — I said that about me and Elena, too, didn't I? And look where we are.

I'm not rushing things up, I promise. These two "bombs" were supposed to be dropped all in one chapter, ever since I started to build up to them… And I wanted to balance it with delena, too, so you guys wouldn't miss them so much, therefore the chapter got a bit longer than usual.

But, don't worry, it's all part of my master plan.

Aaand, that's just the drama, not the angst. Not yet. But I'm being a good girl on this one, and I'm not planning on hurting you guys too much. After all, it would deceive the purpose of a mostly light fanfic :D

Have a wonderful week, guys! Thanks for reading.