Chapter 11

November 18th, 2009

Damon stared around him in disbelief as he ended his call with Sheriff Forbes. His lead was dead. Again, his way to Katherine was gone. Standing on the ground where he knew she was below him somewhere, desiccated, made him flinch. He couldn't stand there any longer with those thoughts. Making his way through the trees, he began thinking back to when he first learned of a way to open the tomb. He could restart his search, go back to old acquaintances.

It wasn't something he particular wanted to do, but if it was necessary... most of his acquaintances were either dead or would be hard to find. He needed someone close, someone who had given the biggest help. Bree. He nodded to himself. He needed to see Bree.

Damon frowned. There was a truck badly wreaked and on its side in the road, tires still spinning. The shape of the truck looked familiar. Then he saw a figure standing near the truck, about to bend down towards the windshield when his headlights hit it and the hunk of junk truck. The hooded figure blurred off into the night.

He slammed on the brakes in shock when he recognized the truck.

"Evie," He muttered and quickly put his car into park.

He zoomed over. The windows on one side and the windshield were busted out, glass littering the road and it crunched beneath his boots as he got closer. He bent down to get a good look.

Light blonde hair was the first thing he saw. Evelyn was pressed against the glass of her driver's side door, luckily it had not busted out.

"Evelyn." He called to her, but she was out cold, not moving an inch. "Damn it." He has two options, open the door that was now at the top of the truck or pull her out of the windshield. He could smell blood and gasoline. The truck was still running. Cursing colorfully, he reached into the truck through the windshield and shut off the engine hopefully preventing a fire or an explosion.

He then went for Evelyn. After a little trouble from the seatbelt, he managed to get a hold of the unconscious girl. Carefully he maneuvered her out of the truck and laid her gently on the pavement. He could hear her heart still beating and he relaxed slightly.

Nodding to himself, he checked her over for serious injuries and broken bones. She had several bruises, including one that was on the left side of her forehead. Cuts from the glass littered her arms but luckily none of them looked as though they would hinder her or would need medical attention.

"Very lucky, my Eves." He murmured and found himself in a dilemma. Take her home or on the road with him?

"…ugh…"

"Eves? Evelyn?"

She opened her eyes slowly, her green eyes unfocused. "Whywasinroad?" She slurred at him, eyes crossing slightly. "S'not fun."

He frowned. "Wasn't me, Eves." He looked around, frowning deeper. Would the vampire have gotten her if he hadn't stopped his car?

"...Left me." She murmured.

"I'm not leaving you to lay in the road." Or get killed by a wandering vampire. He lifted her off the ground and she hit at his chest. "Stop that." Figuring that he'd get a kick out of pissing her off, he carried her to his car.

"You know I end up carrying you an awful lot."

"Out of road, asshole." She said loudly and he snickered.

"That's telling him, my Eves."

She shivered. "S'cold." She complained, unknowingly cuddling closer to Damon's chest and putting her face into his neck.

He smirked. "If you were more coherent, you'd throw a fit if you knew what you were doing. Giving me more of a reason to pick at you." He held her closer anyway, enjoying the fact that she was clinging to him more than he should.

She frowned, wrinkling her nose. "Cold."

"Okay, bossy pants. Just a second. You're not even fully conscious. That's what you get for not wearing a jacket." He laid her in the front seat, reclining it, until she was comfortable and then tossed his jacket over her. She grumbled and he hushed her before shutting the door. She'll be pissed when she woke, no doubt about that.

"Damon!?"

Shit.

He turned and leaned casually against his car as Elena hopped out of hers. The doe-eyed Katherine look-a-like gaped at the mess of Evelyn's truck. He could see she was upset, something to do with Stefan he was sure, her eyes were red-rimmed and watery.

"Is that Evelyn's? What happened? Is she okay? Have you called an ambulance?!"

He rolled his icy blue eyes. "Relax, Elena. She's just unconscious. Minor bumps and bruises. Nothing serious."

"What happened?"

He shrugged. "Didn't see."

"Where is she?"

"In my car."

"Are you taking her to the hospital?"

He shook his head. "I've looked her over. She's going to be sore for a while but she'll live. Besides, I need a traveling companion. Long hours on the road alone is boring."

Elena narrowed her eyes.

"She needs to go home, Damon. You can't just take off with her."

"Watch me." He challenged, eyes flashing wickedly. "You want to do her a favor? Call her Gran and let her know she's okay."

Her mouth opened and closed as he sauntered over to his car.

"Damon, I don't think-"

"I'm not going to hurt her, Elena," He cut her off with a roll of his eyes. "She's hit her head and might have a concussion. It's better that I look after her in case it's worse than it looks."

"Isn't that what doctors are for?"

"She'll be fine." He rolled his eyes.

Elena didn't look convinced. "Is she really safe with you? Can she trust you?"

He stared at her a moment. "I've got her."

"She hates you." She pointed out and he wiggled his eyebrows.

"I know. That's why this will be fun."

"At least I know she can defend herself."

Damon smirked and got into his car.

"Damon...Why do I look like her?"

He paused. "You'll have to ask Stefan that." He shut his door and took off, leaving a bewildered Elena behind.

November 19th 2009

Pain ricocheted around her skull and her body as Evie moved. Opening her eyes slowly, she found herself staring at someone's arm. Her eyes followed the limb slowly, still not sure what she was seeing at first.

"Morning Sunshine." A disgustingly cheerful and migraine inducing familiar voice spoke up. The owner of the arm.

"What?" She croaked and winced as pain lashed through her head. She groaned softly and Damon's blue eyes flickered to her briefly.

"I said morning. How are you feeling?"

"Like I wrecked my truck."

Snorting, he shifted his arm and reached over to open the glove compartment. "Pain meds in here. I got you a Gatorade from the last gas station I passed." She blinked at the items in the compartment. That was considerate of him...

"…Thanks." She muttered, the only thing she could think of to say. "Where are we?"

"Georgia."

"Roadtrip?"

Damon eyed her as she downed a couple of pills and took several small sips of blue Gatorade. He expected more of a fight, but perhaps she wasn't feeling all that good.

"Yeah."

Evelyn rolled her eyes again, pleased she could do so with a just a small dulled ache. "Are you a doctor now, Salvatore?" Damon grinned. There was his Eves.

"No, just a good judge of injuries."

"Whatever." She looked out the window. "Never been to Georgia before."

"You'll love it."

Evie looked back at him. "That was a vampire that I hit."

Damon nodded, narrowing his eyes. "Yes, it was."

"Who was he?"

"That's what I would like to know."

"There are a lot of vampires you don't know."

He rolled his eyes at her. "Well, its not like we all hang out a vampire bar and grill. Chit chatting it up." He snorted. "There's probably hundreds that I don't know about."

Evie rubbed at her forehead and then frowned. "My Gran. Does she know about the wreak?"

"Elena took care of it. Says you're staying with her."

"Oh." She said in surprise. "Well what about my truck?"

"I pulled it off to the side of the road, but that hunk of metal is history."

She groaned. "Damn it...I liked that truck."

Damon rolled his eyes. He turned to her. "What were you doing out so late?"

She shrugged. "Just was."

"Eves. Don't make me ask you a million times." He smirked. "I know how much you like it when I annoy you."

She glared at him before looking pained. "He left."

"Your dad?"

She nodded and looked out the window, avoiding him. Ah, the words from last night made sense now.

"Why?"

"Because we got into a fight at the school...I told him to disappear. So he did."

Damon didn't say anything for a while. Then she spoke up, tired of the silence as per usual.

"Why are we in Georgia?"

He shrugged this time. "Just are."

She scoffed. "Jerk."

Damon's phone buzzed. "Hello. Stefan."

"Where did you take Evie? Is she okay?"

"On a roadtrip. She's fine." He winked at her and she scowled. "Want to say hi?" He handed her his phone.

"Stefan." Evie said.

"Did he hurt you? Elena said, you wreaked your truck."

"No, he didn't hurt me." She rolled her eyes. "I'll be all right."

"Where is he taking you?"

"I don't know. A roadtrip." She said and Damon tilted his head. "About to lose signal, bye Stefan." She hung up and handed the phone back.

"Liar, liar, pants on fire."

Evie rolled her eyes. "Do you want him to keep calling or even attempt to follow you? I'm assuming there's a Katherine related reason we're going to Georgia."

He nodded. "Yep, I've got an old acquaintance there. She'll be able to help."

The girl leaned back in her seat. "How much longer?"

"About an hour or so give or take."

Evelyn sighed. "He left a damn voicemail. I was trying to get to the airport to stop him from leaving. Guessed I missed that flight."

Damon turned his head. "What was the fight about? If you don't mind me asking?"

She explained to him about the career fair and the argument about the photography. She told him about seeing Logan, which Damon was pissed about, and she finished up with what she had said to her father.

"So...I said, "Why don't you just disappear again?" I didn't mean it literally..." She faced the window, frowning.

Damon frowned too. "Where'd he go?"

"That's the million-dollar question." She muttered and then made a face. "Why are you listening to this crap? It's old people music."

He snorted and changed the radio station to Rock. "Better?"

"Much." She said and he smirked. "So who is this acquaintance of yours?"

"Her name is Bree. She runs a bar."

"Uh huh, a woman and a bar." She smirked. "What a coincidence that you happen to like both?"

He smirked. "Funny."

"I know right?" She smirked back and he ended up laughing. He had to admit she was a lot better company than Elena.

Evie stretched her sore muscles, groaning and lowering her head. Her legs were sore and hurt her, taking a step she almost toppled over and hands were steadying her. Damon's eyes, filled with concern, looked her over.

"Hey." She looked up to see Damon's face. His eyes filled with concern as he looked her over, his brow furrowed. She caught herself staring at his eyes, how much concern he was showing to her and she quickly averted her gaze.

She shook her head. "I-I'm fine." She pulled away and nodded at the building across from them. "That her place?"

Damon nodded, shifting. He should have stopped and really checked her over. Getting into an accident and then sitting in the car for hours couldn't be good for her. She stretched a bit more her shirt riding up and giving him a glimpse of a sliver of her lightly tanned skin. Then she bent over to touch her toes.

He couldn't help but stare at her ass which was on full display. He had to resist the urge to touch her.

Evie stood back up and he pretended to be checking his phone. "Stefan?"

"Wrong number." He replied and she nodded.

They started towards the bar and Evie glanced up at him.

"This friend of yours isn't going card me is she? That would suck. I need a drink after all of that."

He smirked. "Nah. Bree's cool."

They went inside and Evie looked around at the décor of the room, nodding in approval. Damon led the way over to the bar, sauntering. Evelyn's eyes landed on his butt. He had a nice ass. She mentally slapped herself and looked back at the bar instead.

An attractive older woman was behind the bar, cleaning a glass when she looked up and saw them. Or saw Damon rather. Gasping in delight, the mocha skinned woman, set the glass aside while beaming widely. Obviously, this was Bree.

"No, no. It can't be." She shook her head and Evie rolled her eyes. Old acquaintance obviously equals ex-lover.

"Damon." She continued and hopped up on the bar, swinging her legs over to their side and getting down. She went over to him, moving hips in a definitely sexual manner. Evie grimaced. "My honey pie." Bree purred.

"Honey pie?" She snickered to herself and instantly stopped when Damon and Bree started kissing like they were still together.

"Sorry, honey." She winked at Evie, pulling away from the vampire. "Couldn't resist. It's been a long time."

The girl snorted. "Go right ahead. I'm just here for the drinks."

Bree threw her head back and laughed. "Well, come on then." She hopped back over the bar and they followed her.

Evie watched as she brought over a tray of shot glasses, lining them up in front of everyone at the bar. Herself and Damon included.

"Listen up everybody!" Bree called out as she went down the line pouring alcohol into the glasses. "Here's to the man who broke my heart, crushed my soul, destroyed my life, ruined any and all chances of happiness! Drink up."

"You sound like a real winner." Evie smirked at Damon and tipped her glass back, draining it in one go. He smirked back.

"You have no idea."

"So..." Bree came back over to them, smiling. "How'd he rope you in?" She looked at Evie.

The girl snorted. "Uh, nope. Not roped."

"Honey, if you're not roped your whipped. Either way, just enjoy the ride."

Next to her, Damon made a whip gesture and mouthed the sound at Evie, smirking wickedly. She narrowed her eyes for a second.

"Actually, it's the other way around, isn't it, honey pie?" She smirked at Damon, seeing if he'd get mad. Instead, he took her hand.

"Yep, she's got me and can't get rid of me." He scooted his stool closer to her and she tried not to fluster at his how now his legs were on either side of her left hip.

Bree smirked. "Mmhm. I can tell."

"Get off me." Evie stated and shoved at him. Snickering, Damon moved his stool back a bit. "So how'd you two meet?"

"College." She laughed.

"You went to college?" Evelyn mocked him.

Damon rolled his eyes. "I've been a college campus, yes."

Bree smiled. "About twenty years ago, when I was a sweet young freshman. I met this beautiful man, and I fell in love. And then he told me his little secret and it just made me love him all the more."

"Really? I wanted to kill him when I found out." Evie stated and Bree chuckled. Damon rolled his eyes.

"I had a little secret of my own and I was dying to share it with someone."

"She's a witch." Damon explained.

"You changed my world." Bree told him and he smirked.

"You mean I rocked your world."

"He is good in the sack isn't he?"

"Sure he is." Evie smirked and he leaned closer.

"Wouldn't you be like to know." He grinned and she made a face.

"Not interested, Salvatore."

"Don't be jealous, my Eves."

"Oh, I'm not." She stated and he smirked.

"Mostly, he's just a walkaway Joe." Bree finished. "So, what is it that you want?"

"Come on. There's gotta be another way." Damon said, giving Bree his charming smile. She shook her head.

"After all there years, it's still only Katherine. How do you even know she's still alive?"

"Well, you help me get into that tomb and we'll find out."

"I already did. Twenty years ago." She glanced at Evie who was still sitting at the bar. "Why don't you ask your little witch?"

Damon cut his eyes to the blonde and then back to Bree. "How'd you-"

"I sensed it the moment she walked in here." She explained. "She's not the usual witch. She's a wiccan. Her powers are a little more complicated than the usual witch. She doesn't rely on ancestors. She gets her magic from within. And from the air around her. it's an energy source. Amazingly good at healing and protection spells."

"She's a newbie. She's still learning." He informed her, looking back at Evelyn. Bree watched him and smiled softly. Damon had a fondness for the feisty girl, even if he didn't fully realize it yet.

"It was just three easy steps," She spoke up getting his attention again. "Comet. Crystal. Spell."

"Little problem with number two. I don't have the crystal."

Bree sighed. "That's it, Damon. There's no other way. It's Emily's spell."

"What about a new spell with a new crystal that overrides Emily's spell."

Again she shook her head. "It doesn't work that way, baby. Emily's spell is absolute. You can't get into that tomb." She patted his hand, as he gazed off across the room. "Why don't you just appreciate what you have?" Damon's eyes rolled over to her.

"And just what is that?" He snapped.

Bree nodded across the room. "Her."

Damon looked back over at the bar and spotted Evie. He snorted.

"Don't tell me you don't care for her. Just a little. She's a friend to you."

"She's stubborn and annoying."

Bree laughed. "No wonder you two get along so well then."

"Yeah, I'm fine." Evie rolled her eyes. "No, he's not trying anything right now." Elena continued to babble in her ear and it was annoying her. "Look, other than a huge headache, I'm fine. Tell my Gran I'll be at Bonnie's or something." The girl said something else and Evie nodded. "Yeah, that's why I was on the road last night...He pissed me off. Thanks, Elena. No, I'll make him drive me home okay? Bye." She hung up and snorted softly to herself.

She turned around and yelped at Damon's close proximity.

"Jeez, wear a bell or something!?"

He smirked in amusement. "Everything okay?"

"Elena is all upset with Stefan...Did you know she and Katherine are look-a-likes? As in a creepy mirror image?"

"Yes."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, god. That's so...well it's kind of sick."

"There two different people." Damon stated. "Trust me."

"Hm. Still weird. Guess I'd be kind of pissed too if I found out my boyfriend picked me because I resembled his trapped vampire girlfriend or brother's girlfriend or...Whatever the hell the relationship is." She rubbed at her forehead.

"Does your head still hurt?" He asked, moving closer to her.

"A bit."

Damon tilted her head to examine the bruise. "Doesn't look as bad as it did last night. I'll get Bree to bag some ice for it."

"Thanks."

He nodded and they headed back inside.

"Did your Gran call?"

"She called Elena's aunt Jenna and pretty much got everyone stirred up. I just hope that Bonnie covers for me or I'm screwed."

She hopped up onto the bar stool and Damon sat next to her.

Bree came over to them with a smile. "Here you go. It's on the house. You look hungry."

Evie smiled at the bartender as she sat two baskets of burgers and fries and two bottles of beer in front of her and Damon. "Free food is awesome. And so is free beer."

The vampire rolled his eyes, smirking a bit.

When the witch walked away, she turned to Damon. "So...How does Elena look like Katherine? Are they related?"

"Vampires can't procreate." He replied and then leaned closer to her, wiggling his eyebrows. "But we love to try."

Evie shoved him away. "Shuddup you goof."

"No, if they were related it would mean that Katherine had a child before she was a vampire."

Curiously, she tilted her head. "So...how can you eat people food? Aren't you dead?"

"As long as I can keep a healthy diet of blood in my system everything functions pretty normally." He winked at her. "Everything."

She rolled her eyes. "Is that all you think about?"

"Not all the time."

"Just like ninety percent of the time?" She smirked and he laughed.

"And the other ten percent?"

She leaned in closer. "Blood and booze."

Damon laughed again and shook his head. "You're a little crazy, you know that?"

"And crazy hangs with crazy." She replied with a shrug. "Takes one to know one." She faced Damon. "Shots?"

"I'm going to regret this." He replied, but nodded at Bree.

The bar was overly warm now. Full of people cheering and dancing drunkenly and tipsily.

Evie was swaying next to Damon, readying for the next shot glass.

"Ready...go!"

Evie down her glass in seconds and slapped it back on the bar top.

"That's three!" She exclaimed loudly and turned to Damon, her nose bumping his cheek. "You...are soooo slow." She touched his lower lip with her thumb. "And messy. Does baby need a bib?"

He rolled his eyes and poked her head with a finger, backing her face up a bit.

"Sorry, I can't unhinge my jaw like a snake to consume alcohol." He quipped. "And I have taste buds."

"S'good." She waved a hand at the glass. "S'good."

He smirked. "You are so drunk."

"Nah..."

"Honey, you should be on the floor." A woman next to her said and Evie turned around to face her, leaning back against Damon. He wrapped arm around her incase she did fall.

"I can go all night." She wiggled around to face Damon again, his arm still around her waist. "All night." She whispered in his ear and he snorted. "See? I can make the jokes too, bud-buddy."

"Sure you can."

A random song started playing from the jukebox in the corner and she grabbed his arm. "That's my jam! We gotta dance to it!" She tried to pull on him. "Hurry up for it's over!"

Damon smirked. "Do you even know what's playing?"

"It's my jam!" She sang and he snickered. "Dance with me."

"You don't dance."

"I drunk dance. It's smush better." She slurred in a matter of fact tone.

She was dancing against him, swaying her hips and he felt his mouth go dry. She claimed she couldn't dance and had been nervous about the dance at the Lockwood's. And yet here she was, moving in wild rhythm that had him gripping those tempting hips and tugging her backward. She leaned back against him, an arm slung up over his neck, fingers in his hair. Around them were others having gotten to the point of drunken dancing as well.

Damon ran his hands up her sides and back down again and she moaned softly, moving her body to the music. Drunk dancing indeed. She took on a whole persona. Bending his head, he whispered in her ear: "Having fun?"

"Mmhm. S'nice." She twisted around to face him, still dancing rather erotically and he hauled her closer. She gripped at his hair with one hand, the other going up his chest. They locked eyes and he gently, cupped her cheek with one hand. She tried to pull away, looking worried.

"It's all right." He said softly and ran his thumb along the scar tenderly. She closed her eyes, breathing evenly and then opened her eyes again. His gaze lowered to her lips and he could tell she was waiting to see what he'd do. Slowly, he moved his face closer to her and their lips brushed just a tad. A drunk person bumped into them Evie tripped backwards. Damon caught her elbow.

"Okay?"

She nodded then made a face. "Gotta go."

He snorted and pointed her in the right direction of the bathroom. "Remember the person with the little dress on is the girl's room." He teased.

"I knooow that." She stuck her tongue out at him and stomped to the bathroom.

Evie's phone was buzzing as she exited the bathroom and she squinted at the screen.

"Bon...Hey..." She went outside to hear better.

"Where the hell are you? Elena said you're with Damon. Are you drunk?"

"Noooo. I'm fine."

"I heard about your dad skipping town. I'm really sorry, Evie."

That sobered her up a bit.

"Yeah. Sucks."

"Are you hurt? Is he being a pain?"

"He's pleasant."

"You are drunk. Don't do anything stupid. He's a killer and the bad guy remember?"

Evie snorted. "I'm not gonna sleep with him. That's weird."

"Are you too drunk to hear what happened to me?"

Evie heard the fear in her friend's voice and stood up straighter. "Talk to me."

At the end of her story, Evelyn was frowning. "Yeah, there's something scary in that tomb. I don't think it's just people."

"My god..." Bonnie breathed. "What have we gotten into?"

"I don't know." She glanced back at the bar. "I gotta go, Bon. Damon will bring me home when he's done. I'll text you when I'm home, okay?"

"Just be careful."

Evie hung up and sighed heavily, squeezing her eyes shut. There was dull throb in her head.

She was about to go back inside when a hand clamped over her mouth and she struggled against whoever held her. She shoved them off with her powers and tried to make a run for it. Evie ran around back since going into the bar wasn't an option. Damon...She needed to avoid him for a while. She remembered her drunken dance and she didn't want to ask him for help. He had almost kissed her again...and she had let him.

"The hell is wrong with me." She muttered to herself.

The figure who attacked her earlier was in her path in seconds and swung a heavy board, knocking her unconscious.

Bree tilted her head. "Hey, where's your girl?"

Damon glanced around, frowning. "You see her come out of the bathroom?" He got up, going to look for her and missed Bree's expression.

He opened the bathroom door. "Eves? You fall in there?" No response. Humming, he turned and headed for the door. Maybe she went out for fresh air. He opened the door, her scent faintly there. "Eves?" Her phone was lying on the ground. Damon picked it up.

He hopped off of the porch and went around the back of the bar.

He spotted her on the ladder of the water tower, frowning at something.

"You didn't have to hit me so hard you, asshat! My head already hurts enough!"

"What are you doing?" Damon said and she glanced at him.

"Get out of here, stupid!" She yelled at him before something slammed into him hard. Grunting he crashed to the ground, someone beating him over and over with a wooden board.

"Stop!" He heard Evie yell and then the beating stopped for a moment, though his legs were broken. "What the hell is your problem!?" He lifted his head to see the vampire knock her backwards and then come at him again. This time, the vampire was carrying a small gasoline can and was now dousing him with it.

"No!" Evie yelled again and the vampire hissed at her when she got up. "Why are you attacking him?!"

"He killed my girlfriend!"

The girl frowned. "Well, I'm sorry, but hurting Damon won't bring her back."

"Why are you siding with him?! He killed her."

"Who was she?"

"She went to see Stefan and he killed her."

It clicked. "Lexi..." She murmured and he flinched. "Look, I get you're angry okay? This jerkwad almost killed my best friend. He's a pain in the ass, but he doesn't deserve this. Killing him won't bring back Lexi and it'll make you hurt worse."

The vengeful vampire took a match out of his pocket. Evie continued. Moving closer. "She turned you...didn't she?"

"If you want to be with someone forever, you have to live forever."

"She loved you, okay? And it hurts that she's gone. Being a vampire heightens those emotions. Lexi told me that that. "When it's real, you can't walk away." That's what she told my friend Elena, okay?"

"Well that's a chose you won't have to make."

Evie in front of Damon, startling the angry vampire. Groaning, Damon lifted his head to watch, puzzled why she was protecting him and puzzled why she looked...upset?

"She wouldn't want you to do this. You want to stoop to his level? Then go ahead. But Lexi was good that means you are too. You're hurting, but you're not a murderer. Unless you choose to be." Tears sprung in her eyes despite how hard she tried to keep them at bay. She blamed it on the headache and the booze. "Please don't hurt him...I-I need him. Please." It was the truth, plain and simple. Damon was the annoying constant in her life right now. She had gotten used to seeing him come and go, but she always knew he was there. If he disappeared...or was gone... She couldn't let him die, but her powers were fritzed out from her bash to the head.

The vampire looked her for a long time and he finally had to look away. Growling angrily, he turned and grabbed Damon by the collar of his shirt and tossed him across the yard where he slammed into the wall of a loading dock door.

"I know you did it for her, but thank you anyway." Evie whispered, knowing he could hear her, but Damon couldn't. "Despite how idiotic and annoying he is...I do need him."

The vampire shook his head. "Lexi would have liked your honesty."

"She did. We did our best drunk dancing the last time I saw her."

The edges of his mouth twisted up and then he was gone.

Evie blinked away the wetness and hurried over to Damon who was snapping his bones back into place.

"Just hold still and let me do it." She told him and held her hands over him. Although she couldn't really do much, she knew she could at least ease the pain a bit. She jumped when he touched her face.

"Your head is bleeding again."

She pushed at his hand. "No distractions. I'm concentrating."

"You were crying." He could see moisture on his fingertips.

"Was not. You're delusional. Hit your head too many times. And have you seen how dusty it is back here? Probably picked up an allergy."

He smirked and then groaned when she popped his knee back into place. This time she smirked. "Don't be a baby."

November 20th 2009

Evie was dozing when he came back out of the bar, making sure he had gotten all the blood off of his hand. The time on his phone read 3:30 a.m.

She roused awake when he slid behind the wheel and closed the door.

"Was it her? did she call him out here?" She asked and he nodded. Evie frowned. "So now what?"

"Going home."

"No, I meant about Katherine. Bree was your lead right? Did she tell you anything?"

"Actually yes. She motioned something about a grimoire."

"What's that?"

"Kind of like your little spell book. It's all of a witch's spells. So we need to find Emily's."

Evie nodded. "Bet she didn't tell you where."

He snorted. "Now when has anything been easy?"

She smiled and then leaned back against the seat. "You could have left me in the middle of the road. Called someone to get me. Why'd you take me with you?"

"You're not the worst company in the world. Don't sell yourself short."

"Don't kid about my height, jerk."

"Because I knew it'd piss you off." He smirked and she smirked back. He shrugged. "And you're not the worst company in the world, my Eves."

"Eh, probably could have been better."

"You did okay for an invalid."

She laughed and shoved at him. "Shut up."

Silence fell for a moment.

"You saved me." He said quietly, almost musing aloud to himself. Evie ignored him, staring steadily ahead. "You could have let me burn to death."

"Don't tempt me." She huffed. "You still smell slightly flammable."

Damon scoffed, but did tap the air freshener in the air vent, making her smirk. "Seriously, Eves...I owe you one."

"Yeah, that's right." She turned to him. "And don't you forget it, buster. Finally got one over you."

He rolled his eyes fondly.

"Just don't crash into any stray vamps on the way home and maybe we'll call it even." She told him and he snorted.

"How's your head?" He asked when she groaned softly. She thought she could hide it, but he had heard the pain in her voice.

Evelyn shifted in the seat. "Hurts." She finally admitted.

"Bad enough to see a doctor?"

She shook her head, ignoring the dizziness she felt. "I don't think that last hit helped any."

Before she could protest, Damon's fingers were in her hair, probing for the tender spot near her temple.

"Ow, dammit! Don't touch it!" She yelped, slapping at his hand, but he didn't pull away.

"You've got a knot there. It's not too big, but you need to put something on it to stop the swelling."

He pulled into the nearest gas station and went inside.

When he came back out, he had a small amount of gasoline smell on him, but not as overpowering as before. In his hand was a baggie of ice and a shirt.

"What's the shirt for?"

"To wrap your ice bag in." He stated. "It won't be so cold then."

"Oh." She mumbled and took the items from him when he had wrapped the ice up. "Thanks."

He pulled back out on the road.

"Well that was exciting." She said, leaning against the seat, keeping the ice against her head. "Got anywhere else to go?"

He gasped mockingly. "You'd be willing to sit in the car with me for another roadtrip?"

She sent him a smirk. "I never said you were bad company either. Just a pain in the ass."

"You didn't have to walk me up to the door." She snorted and he rolled his eyes. They had arrived back in Mystic Falls by midmorning and Evie was exhausted. She hadn't slept the whole way back. They had spent the time talking. Damon had liked the normalcy of it. He hoped he and Katherine could do the same.

"Well, its for precaution. Apparently, you're a damsel in distress type." He smirked at her.

"I can knock you off this porch." She narrowed her eyes. "You're no Prince Charming."

He moved his face closer to hers.

"Do it."

The door opened and Othella appeared.

"Oh, Evelyn!" She attached herself to Evie almost knocking the girl off the porch in a tackling hug. "Where have you been?! Why didn't you call me?!" She pulled back to clutch the girl's cheeks in her hands. "Are you all right? I saw your car and I thought... You're head! You poor girl."

"Gran, can't breathe. Need space." Evie pushed the hands off of her gently. "I'm fine. Damon came along and-"

"Oh, thank goodness you found her!" Evie snickered as Damon was giving an equally tight hug. The vampire sent her a half-amused look. "You are such a nice young man. Didn't I tell you, Evelyn?"

"Yeah. Okay. Stop stroking his ego, Gran." She rolled her eyes, but her words went unheard. Damon smirked at her.

"Thank you so much, Damon. After her father left...I knew she'd be upset."

"Okay, thank you." Evie said loudly. "But I think Damon has to go now?"

Othella shook her head. "No manners. I thought I raised you better than that. Damon, would you like to come in?"

He smirked at Evie before shaking his head. "No, thank you. Mrs. Boleyn. I have to go now. Goodbye, Evelyn."

She only rolled her eyes at him and went inside.

Evie's grandmother sighed. "Don't mind her. She's very antisocial, gets it from her father."

Damon only smiled at her. "It's all right. Just make sure her head isn't hurting her too bad."

Othella smiled. "You are such a polite young man." She looked around and then whispered lowly. "There's a dance at the school in two days. Perhaps you should ask her. She'd love it."

He smirked wickedly, knowing how much Evie would "love" it. "Hm. I'll think about it."

"What are you doing now?"

"I'm just making sure you don't have a serious injury." He said, moving behind her, a hand cradling the injured side of her head gently.

She snorted. "Whatever." She pressed her head further into his hand, regardless, eyes sliding closed. "Not very comfy."

"Ugh. You are so annoying."

"So, go somewhere else."

"Too much effort."

She rolled her eyes and rolled over in the bed, putting her head on his chest and an arm across him.

"I'm not cuddling. I just need something better for my head." She reminded him.

"Mmhm." He hummed, but he let his arm drop to her back.

"So are we just going to ignore it?" He asked suddenly.

"Ignore what?" She grumped.

"You know what."

"Yes. That's exactly what we're going to do. I was drunk." She raised her head to look at him. "It didn't mean anything."

"I'm not saying it did. I just found it interesting."

"Oh, shut up."

Red-faced she thumped her head back onto his chest and winced.

"Ow."

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, don't do that." Damon reached over and turned the lamp off. "Go to sleep, Eves."

"Do you think that vampire is still around? Do you think he was working with Logan?"

"He's not going to hurt you. He ran from me the other night."

"Its not me I'm worried about its Gran." She added quickly. Damon rolled his eyes.

"Of course. Well I'm sure he's somewhere, but I doubt he'd try again. You were probably a target because you were driving alone."

"So he stood in the middle of the road like a jackass? He could have moved."

He frowned. "True." He felt her body relaxing. "Sleep, my Eves." He soothed and ran a hand down her back. It was strange how they both acted so different in here than in front of others. He could be more relaxed than sleeping alone.

"We're weird, aren't we?" She muttered as if she knew what he had been thinking.

"Isn't everyone?"

"We'll get her out, Damon." Evelyn yawned. "You'll see."

He smiled a bit and closed his eyes.

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