AN:
Seeing it over and over in recommendations and on my "chick flick" fever I finally watched "The Vow" and it reminded me of my work in this story , and literally made me so emotional , even though the couple it was inspired from got divorced (which is making me so angry and sad now) this movie was still so beautiful and this chapter is dedicated to this movie (May include some scenes inspired 😉 ) But to anyone seeing any story plot resemblances or thinking this was originally a copy of The Vow , no it's totally not. (Paige and Elena both have Daddy issues but that's the element of my story)
Chapter 4: 'Do you remember me?'
Damon had been awake for a while now, he never knew he would be able to be this close to her after what happened to them, the thought of losing her emotionally was like losing everything he had worked for in life. Elena defined him in ways he couldn't put into words, she gave him his personality and passion and now she was gone. Her body was right here in his arms but she wasn't. Like she had said before, she wasn't his Elena.
He was watching her sleep in his arms, her head resting against his shoulder, her one leg between his , her tiny hand on his chest. He was concentrated on the music of her breathing, the motion of her chest heaving and he couldn't believe that it meant everything to him, that she was okay. He raised up his free hand looking at his wedding band shining, ironic.
He slowly reached for her face, gently tucking away her flicks away from her face. In the back of his mind he could still her voice, "Damon stop touching my hair, I have a shoot in like 20 minutes,"
"Hey you're my wife before your all that."
"All that? Really,"
"Oh you know most beautiful girl on the face of earth. Stunning, who turns people on with flower farts."
"Eww, Damon, Can I divorce you ?" her voice was playful.
"Yes! my two month savings plan succeeded." He pulled her to him nuzzling her neck.
"You're happy because I'm divorcing you," She pouted.
"Uhh. No then I pursue you again, marry you again , take you to Paris for our honeymoon and you know the rest." He wrapped his arms around her pressing his lips to her. She had pushed him, "Damon ! Make up! Shoot."
"Yeah whatever." He had rolled his eyes.
He didn't know for how long he kept stroking her rosy cheek with the back of his hand, he was leaning over her now, looking at her intently , he was so close yet so far away from her. Will she think it's inappropriate for him to kiss her? He wanted to tell himself no, but he knew the truth.
He rolled away getting up letting her head fall on the pillow, she held his elbow and for a second he thought did it came back? Because something seemed familiar.
"Mom." She yawned trying to pull him over her. His eyes widened as she hugged him almost.
"Uh okay." He said trying to inform her of her actions.
Her eyes twitched to open and as they did, they widened, "Oh my God." She pulled herself away from him, "I am so sorry I don't normally-"
"Emm. Yeah you do, its okay, calm down." He rubbed her back getting up.
She bit her lip , "Last night , I just – something got into me , you must think I am a total psycho."
He turned around folding his arms over his chest, "No I don't , let me reintroduce my self, I am doctor Damon Salvatore and this is normal in our world."
She sighed, "Yeah my Dad was a doctor."
"I know, we worked together." he clenched his fists which went unnoticed to her.
"He said that's not normal." She got up from the bed playing with the hem of her shirt.
"Well guess who's not a good Doctor." He grinned
She rolled her eyes going towards the door
"That's the door to the backyard sweetie." He instructed, "This house has a lot of doors."
She turned to him, "Umm is bathroom behind one of them."
"Yeah this. But you would wanna use your stuff, it's up stairs."
She nodded, "Right , okay see you later." She said awkwardly quickly opening the door and rushing out.
He sighed deciding to get ready.
She took a quick shower and opened her closet, everything in it looked so glossy, nothing she could wear at home, was she at home today? She asked herself, she took out a maroon shirt and pulled it over her head and grabbed some shorts at the bottom of her fancy closet.
She came out to see him in his towel smiling awkwardly, "Uhh I forgot to take my clothes."
She nodded, "Oh, sorry I took forever, you must be late for work."
He shrugged, "It's okay I have a surgery scheduled at sometime after lunch , will take like nine hours or more so it's fine if I go in late."
She nodded, "umm okay, well feel at home." She added like a joke and moved aside to give him way as she approached the dresser, she saw him practically ogling her, as she tried to fix her towel dried hair "What? Do I have a routine, hair routine?"
He shook his head, "Uh, no , I was just-"
She huffed, "Okay I know I look different, I am not going to wear all that , this is the only thing I own that makes me feel okay."
"That's mine." He pointed at the shirt, and then the shorts, "those too."
She now knew why the waistband was so loose.
"I am sorry"
"No its okay, you look good" He smiled
She bit her lip, "I think I should go shopping."
"And she's back." He huffed.
..
..
Caroline was looking at her with a teasing smile while she was having breakfast.
She kept the spoon down, "What? its comfortable."
She rolled her eyes, "Okay whatever makes you sleep at night- with him?" She winked and Elena slapped her arm, "Eww. Care, please stop."
"So now he disgusts you, what about that sex tape you guys made?" She bit her lip.
Elena turned red, "There's a tape? No your lying, you're screwing with me, God, care you're so disgusting."
She shrugged, "I know there's a tape, I don't know where though, it exists, I am certain."
Elena rolled her eyes, "All of this is so absurd, I mean." She kept her spoon again looking at Damon, who was working in the other room , she leaned in so he wont hear, "I hated him."
"You're a liar Elena Gilbert, even when we were teenagers , you had a crush on him."
Elena almost elbowed her, "Before," she looked away to see if he was hearing, "Before he started bullying me and Stefan, but after that I didn't really ever like him."
Caroline nodded, "Well it started at the Camp and then slowly you liked him."
..
..
10 years ago
"You really showed him who the boss was Elena." Caroline commented while they were hate staring at him from the little bonfire, he was leaning against three bags reading a book.
"When was he the boss? He's a bully and a person who bullies the weak is a coward." She said it loud enough for him to hear.
He looked up from his book, he could see her perfectly through the flame, she was right infront of him , one grab and he'd shove her into that thing , he loathed her so much. It came naturally. "Watch it Gilbert."
She tried everything in her will to stop herself from throwing a log in his face, the hell did he thought he was, like he owned the damn place.
"Yeah I am watching you, umm Salvatore, oh wait, I'm not certain if that's even your last name, and neither are you." She smirked, taking a dig at his mother. "Because my mom says that your mother claims she never knew who your father was." His mother had once been to be the woman who'd slept with everyone in town. That was before she settled down with Stefan's dad.
"That's it." He got up startling her, she actually felt scared now.
"No. No. Damon, she doesn't know what she's talking about." Stefan interrupted coming between them.
"Stefan I swear I'll-,"
Enzo held his elbow, "Damon, calm down, look we'll get in trouble."
He pushed Stefan aside, "Listen to me Elena, if you ever talk about me like that I swear I'll kill you, I am not even kidding, you bring my mom into this, I'll kill you." He didn't touch her or push her but his tone was very threatening, it really shook her and it made her feel a little guilty as he left the bonfire followed by Enzo and Klaus.
"Elena why did you even, I didn't expect this from you." Stefan turned to her "He's my brother okay- I can't believe you'd even say that to him, not only him but you hurt me too, are you happy?"
She shook her head trying to hold his arm, "I didn't mean it like that Stef , I was just- please don't go , don't be mad,"
He pulled his hand back, "Elena I know he's not your favorite person okay , but if you don't even care , why are you behaving like that? " he turned and rushed to where his brother went.
Caroline huffed "Okay guys show's over. Elena cheer up."
She pursed her lips, she should apologize , she will.
..
..
The next day they were doing camp activities, finding logs, preparing for lunch and hikes , Elena was assigned to fix the flag on the Camp's main house. She was repeating words she'd say to her friend and HIM for an apology when she saw him coming from the other end some what sneaky, his dark hair were ruffled, he looked absolutely dangerous, she pursed her lips thinking if she should apologize.
"Damon," She called some what in a low voice, then gathering strength she called louder "Damon."
He looked up to see her on top of the ladder leaned against the Camp main house, "What?"
He sounded annoyed.
"Look last night-" she spoke softly
He interrupted, "Stefan isn't here to save you so choose your words wisely."
She shook her head, "okay but at least hear me out, I had no right to say what I did," she looked apologetic and harmless, the more she looked at him the more she felt sorry, genuinely, maybe she was hating him for no reason.
"I just wanted to say I am… eeep!" she squealed as she felt a jolt. She saw him smirk and she knew what was up now.
Klaus and Enzo were down there shaking her ladder, she never saw it because , he distracted her, "No -please ! Damon please tell them to stop."
He pretended to look elsewhere, "Aww I can't hear you Miss Goody-Two-Shoes."
She cried, "please, Damon I'd fall."
Klaus cocked his head to a side, "What's that S word?"
Enzo raised a brow, "SEX?"
Damon scrunched his face up "No, It's sorry"
"I was sorry you, dick," she squealed, " You didn't need to be a jerk."
"That isn't a very polite apology, boys!" he said in a sing song voice.
"You know what you're pathetic if you think you're better than the rest of us, you disgust me , I can't believe I thought I was wrong for judging you because you-,"
Damon made his way to the ladder, "Bla. Bla. fuck off." He hit the ladder to make it jerk and it did, pretty bad, it happened too quickly, he heard a scream and two seconds later she was lying 12 feet away from him her dense red blood pooled around the back of her head , his mouth fell open, seeing her jerk and then unconscious , his eyes widened as Klaus pulled on him, "Let's get out of here."
"I -I didn't," he couldn't speak.
Enzo shouted at him, "We'll get expelled, Damon, she's dead , its like 50 feet high."
"We can't leave her." He rushed to her and heard Klaus hiss "What the fuck is wrong with you , everyone's going to be back soon , we stayed back to scare her, it's not our fault."
"She's alive," He ignored Klaus , sliding his arms under her body picking her up "We can't leave her here. The camp house is closed, you guys get a first aid,"
"What? Are you serious, she saw us, she'll get us expelled and what not."
"I DON'T CARE," He growled irritated and rushed her out of there.
..
..
Elena never had never felt like this before, lingering between oblivion and existence, she could feel everything and not talk, not move, she was screaming inside, it hurt and yet no one heard her "She's alive."
Whoever this was, wasn't leaving her to die like the other voices had, strong arms held her, then lied her down somewhere soft, "Elena stay with me!" She heard the worried voice, she forgot her name, this person, everything, she was someone in pain, that's all she knew.
Drops of water on her face, forced her to open her eyes, she saw a blurry face, looking like an angel , she sighed as if tired feeling light headed.
Warm shaky hands cupped her face, "I am so sorry, I am so sorry, shit! Look at me, yeah, stay with me okay, you'll be okay, okay, ENZO where's the key to that God damn house,"
..
..
Next time she woke up , she was comparatively stronger , this room was one of the Camp's guard room , only staff stayed here.
She looked ahead to see a whole bunch of eyes on her, she weakly spoke "Hey,"
And then a river of questions
Are you okay? Are you hurt?
Rephrasing it again and again.
"Calm down people ! Let her breathe." The doctor advised "Elena do you feel dizzy , do you feel nauseous?"
She shook her head very slowly. She could see Enzo at the corner of the room almost begging her with his eyes.
She remembered now, everything , the voices , the decisions , he was leaving her to die , until her angel then she thought about it for a minute , no way in hell. She remembered him now, he was no angel. She knew what was coming.
Stefan was by her side in a second, his eyes had tears, "I am so sorry Elena, I acted like a jerk to you , thank god you're okay or I wouldn't have ever –"
"I am okay Stefan, I really am," She gestured Caroline to come to her and she did to sit by the other side.
"How did this happen?" Stefan asked touching her heavily bandaged head.
Just that second Damon entered and for once he didn't look predatory, he had a tray in his hands "I fetched food for when she gets up"
He stopped dead in tracks seeing her awake, he swallowed thick. He should have packed cause he'd be going home now.
Klaus looked at him sighing, he kept the tray on the table.
"Elena, you zoned out , are you okay?" Stefan asked she was looking at him with anger or surprise or just looking Damon couldn't figure out. Stefan asked her "Elena?"
"I am okay." She didn't look away from him, he was standing at the corner with Enzo now, looking elsewhere , but he knew she was looking at him.
"You want us to send you back home?" Caroline asked stroking her hair.
"No I am not going anywhere, my Parents rarely let me go , just because something bad happens , I won't ruin it for my friends." She turned her face to Caroline now smiling "You guys waited forever for this."
Stefan held her hand, "But how did this happen?"
She heard Enzo sigh and she knew he wanted to kill Stefan for bringing this up.
Their Incharge looked at her too now, focused on her answer, "Yes, Damon was busy calling doctors when we came back ."
The doctor nodded, "Your friend was very helpful with your stitches Elena."
She almost cringed at the word and maybe he too. She didn't owe him anything, he was the reason for all this.
Before she could speak she heard his voice "Actually me and her had an argument the other night, I didn't know what got into me, I wanted her to apologize and I went to talk to her, my friends-"
"They were talking to me and I didn't realize when I lost balance and just fell," She said it in a breath , so fast she doubted anyone heard her, " Damon was talking to me and Enzo and Klaus were there telling me I should be careful with words, everything was okay till I just got so lost in the conversation that I lost balance."
"Lost balance, yes" Enzo added.
Damon was startled, he was trying to hide the relief he felt , maybe she forgave him?
Whatever it was, it was a fresh start to their friendship, love and life.
..
..
Present timeline.
"Where's he?" She asked Caroline after she came back from shopping spree, "Did he come back?"
She checked the time it was 10 in the night, he was back by now for sure.
"Yeah like five minutes ago."
She tried to hide her smile "So did he ask about me?"
"Yes, I told him she's okay and in her happy place and he knew you went shopping." Caroline rolled her eyes.
"Care, don't squeal, but do you think I should spend the night with him , not what you are thinking of but like he knows how to handle me," she bit her lip.
"Umm if you're asking where he is, it's the guest room." She sighed, "So maybe you and Damon are good, me and Stef should leave,"
"No, Please Care, look, let's not rush it, I need you and Stefan here okay." She picked her bags and rushed into the guest room
She opened the door, "Hey I am" words died when she saw him all naked, no towel, no boxers, she screamed, "OH MY GOD" .
He looked back then at her, then himself, "OH ! I am sorry, I just, I thought you weren't home , I sleep naked."
She turned back," Cover up" she closed the door behind him, what if Caroline had seen him? She grew upset to the idea, why was she here again?
Before she could comprehend, she heard the door clicked open, "Oh you're still here." He pulled her inside, "I am uh sorry?"
She chew her cheek, keeping herself from laughing at his ashamed face "Trust me you've seen that a lot , I didn't thought I'd freak you out again, like I know I have a monster dick but-,"
"Ok enough," She finally laughed "it's okay,"
He raised a brow, "Hey I don't regret it, if anything , you should pay me, I can make an excellent stripper,"
She grinned "ahuh good confidence,"
"so what did you need?" He sat on the couch.
"nothing." She bit her lip "I wanted to see you, hear more about me , umm I figured we'd be in one room since last night wasn't such a flop,"
His eyes brightened and shone, "so we shouldn't be here in the guest room."
"okay I will be waiting for you in the bedroom then and maybe you can see what I bought for myself."
"Did you buy me anything?" He sounded humorous and uncertain.
"Yeah I got you some shirts " She raised her brows going out.
..
..
He was nervous in front of his own wife , he had fixed his hair flossed two minutes extra, applied the deodorant in the guest bathroom, his past self would be disappointed to see him try so hard to see him scheming get his own wife.
He went to see her leaning against the headboard reading a book, "Hey, that took a while."
"yeah I was having sweaty palms," he said dramatically, "So I hope I am allowed on the bed."
She blushed looking away "Yeah sure, I mean–,"
He didn't let her finish and jumped in.
"So that surgery?"
"Yeah it went well – they told me to stay the night but I said I've got a personal patient at home," he sounded playful.
She pressed her toes to the matrass, "well in contradiction, I wasted the whole day, buying non sense clothes which mean the world to me."
He sat up, "It's spent" He dragged himself to her feet "You're tall enough and you wear those pointy things to hurt yourself."
"They are called heels." She gasped as if offended.
"Whatever, why do you wear them , I've told you like a million times , you are perfect."
She could sense the adoration behind his disappointed voice, he got up
"Where are you going?" She asked suddenly feeling too depended.
He picked out a bottle of coconut healing lotion from the drawers and got back in bed, near her feet.
He massaged her feet with the lotion, "I swear if you hurt yourself with those monster shoes again-"
She giggled, " You're just pissed because it makes me look taller than you."
He looked up, eyes wide , she almost thought he got offended, "Did you just-"
"What?" She swallowed thick.
"you-"
"I've said that before didn't I , this has happened before."
She sat up feeling something itching her in her head "I did say that and you said-,"
He waited for her to speak
"You're not fascinated with spiderly long legs," she said as if reading it off a book.
"I did say that." He mumbled, then he smiled "Does it mean it's coming back , what else do you remember ? come on Elena , try."
He rubbed her arms, "Do you remember anything? me? Our wedding? Okay how about when we were learning to ride a bike? Or our Vacation in aspen?"
She shut her eyes close trying to force it.
"Remember the birthday trick we pulled on Stefan and that time we thought we were pregnant? Come on Elena think?"
She mumbled, "I can't remember anything?"
"Elena just focus, we were in the camp , I brought you soup , you told me"
She shouted, "Shut Up, okay, I don't remember anything, stop ! please. " Her eyes opened and they had tears in them "I can't remember it."
"You're not trying Elena, just focus."
"I don't want to Okay!" she spat getting up "You have to understand that this doesn't fix in a day."
He got up, "I know that but why-"
"Then why are you forcing this?" she squealed.
"Because I love you and I miss you." He sounded defeated.
"That's your problem not mine" She said too instantly then she regretted it in a second because he looked way too much hurt and surprised with her answer.
"Then I should go," He said in a quiet voice
"Damon I didn't mean it like that." She tried to hold his hand , he pulled it back roughly "Don't"
"Damon I "
"I get it , you can't be my Elena, you're not my Elena ." He bit his lip in anger as if stopping himself from saying further and left.
She clenched her fists as he left the room, she shouted, "Fine Go!"
She sat back on the bed mumbling to herself, "It's not the first time he did that, why is he so selfish? Why?" she cried in her hands , her mind was hazy but she got a few flashes.
"That guy was hitting on you right infront of me" He had his voice loud, she had been in this same position "Damon he's in the network , I can't boss him."
"I am sorry Elena, it's just not everyday that a person ignores I exist , and you clearly enjoyed it." He blamed her
"What do you mean?" She asked getting up.
"Touching on him, laughing at his stupid jokes , You were –"
"Shut up Damon, are you even listening to yourself? Don't you trust me?" she asked hurt "I thought that if not anyone you'd trust me."
"I trust you Elena but you totally change in their presence." He said in an annoyed voice.
"You've changed Damon " She shook her head.
Another one , just voices this time.
"Where have you been ?" She asked him "Not at hospital , I called , so don't lie to me."
"What do you mean you called? " He asked with a tired sigh "Look baby I was out with some colleagues , I was trying to fix Grayson's whole doing."
"Lies more lies, not one of your so called colleagues were with you , just some foreign girl who came to have a chat at lunch." She was still holding the cordless.
"Elena why are you acting like that, like an insecure little-"
"Damon!" she warned, "So is it true? you were out with that foreign girl , why did you have to lie about it?"
"Because of the way you reacted when you met her." He said in somewhat calm mood.
"Maybe because she was being too damn obvious. You used my dad to guilt trip me into believe me you were out there working while you were with this woman?" she asked hurt
"We were with more people; it wasn't just the two of us."
"So Doctor Salvatore is partying?" She asked taking a step towards him.
"Yes I was, and I think I deserve it after what I go through day and night." He said it slowly letting word after word cut her, slice into her.
"I don't want to see you, Go away." She cried "Go"
Her eyes opened, it looked so real, she got up from her bed , maybe she had to take off her rose colored glasses and taste some truth , Damon wasn't what he showed he was.
..
..
He pouring himself in the kitchen when Caroline came in, sleepy "Hey,"
Damon looked up, "We fought." He said before he could get the lecture, "She says she doesn't want to remember me."
Caroline shook her head "Damon, you have to be a little more patient than that , she lost some precious years of her life."
He nodded "Maybe I lost it, I was too angry at everything, now I miss her again."
Caroline patted his shoulder "She wants to remember you trust me."
"She told you that?" He had a certain hope in his eyes.
"Something like that." She smiled "So she's with Stefan right now, umm I didn't hear much but some flashes about a foreign girl."
Damon's frown grew "What?" he asked in a low dangerous voice, she couldn't remember that, what he actually want her to forget. Because if she did, he'll lose her. And he rather kill them both then lose her.
..
..
So there is something Damon is hiding. what do you think is it?
check out my new story 'Inked Hearts'
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