Author's Note: Hello everyone, here is the second chapter of the story. Thank you everyone has reviewed the story, in this chapter Damon makes some new friends and has some questions for himself that he can't seem to answer.
Chapter 2: New Acquittances
Salvatore Boarding House, Mystic Falls, Virginia
Damon Point of View
Damon slowly walked back up to the boarding house keeping a careful ear out for any other creatures roaming the forest but other than he and his brother there was nothing more dangerous than bambi running around. When the house came back into view Damon noted that the sheriff's car and one of the two SVU'S was gone from the driveway. Damon walked up to the front door, his thoughts on his bed and a glass of bourbon when he walked through the door to come face to face with an angry witch, an armed vampire hunter with what looked like a stake launcher and a newborn vampire standing protectively in front of Elena and Jeremy.
"Don't shoot" Damon said holding his hands up in mock surrender as started towards his trusty drink cart, the others in the room when they realised it was Damon relaxed their posture but not by much. Damon noted how they seemed to be most concerned about protecting Elena which made Damon believe there was a reason for that.
"I know I just got here but seriously you are acting like I'm about to bite your heads off" Damon asked genuine curiosity colouring his voice. Bonnie, Caroline and Elena traded a look while Damon poured another bourbon for the history teacher and offered it up as a peace offering and after several moments Alaric lowered his weapon before he hesitantly took the offered drink.
"So again, someone want to explain to me why you were expecting Katherine to walk through the door and rip Elena's pretty little head off?" Damon questioned taking a seat and sighing deeply.
"Sorry Damon…but there was an incident a couple of months ago…Stefan was hurt, and Elena donated some blood to him and well…it didn't end well" Caroline murmured wrapping an arm around Elena who looked down at the floor.
"Let me guess Stefan lost control and tried to kill Elena?" Damon asked looking directly at the girl in question who raised who eyes to him; there was fear in them but also a fire he could see smouldering just beneath the surface.
"Yeah, he did…I was giving him human blood trying to get him to adjust to it, but he lost control and…he nearly ripped my throat out" Elena murmured as her brother came to stand beside his sister.
"Ok…that was a bad idea, Stefan and human blood don't mix well, but still why did expect me to come attack her?" Damon asked as Elena and Bonnie looked at him in confusion.
"Well…we thought you might be hungry and not as in control, so we were just taking precautions" Bonnie murmured causing Damon to laugh at them causing them to be bewildered by his reaction.
"Me lose control" Chuckles "oh I haven't heard anything that funny in a while" Damon laughed shaking his head at them.
"Why is that funny?" Elena asked in confusion as Damon finally stopped laughing.
"We might be brothers, but I haven't lost control while I was feeding in decades. Unlike my brother I drink human blood on a regular basis and have learnt control. So, trust me when I say that you don't have to worry about me feeding on Elena…well not unless she wants it" Damon replied winking at Elena who blushed in reaction to his attention.
"Do you flirt with every girl you see?" Alaric asked a hint of amusement entering his voice. Suddenly an idea formed in his head, Damon sauntered up to Alaric and did his famous eye thing he had developed over the years.
"Not just the ladies Ric, you know if you ever want to experiment just let me know" Damon said causing Ric to look uncomfortable whilst Elena laughed at the interaction, everyone bar Damon looked at Elena in shock while Damon just stood there confused once again by everyone's.
"Sorry…I haven't laughed like that in a while but that was hilarious you should have seen your face" Elena giggled as Caroline and Bonnie joined in with her.
Damon found himself liking the sound of her laughter; it was different from Katherines and that's when he realised, he had never heard Katherine genuinely laugh before. Before he realised what was happening Damon found himself smiling at her and taking in her smile…which seemed to send a surge of heat through him before he caught himself. Whoa there that is not only your brother's girl, but she looks exactly like your ex let's not go down that road Damon thought to himself before he poured himself a drink and sat down. Bonnie looked down at the time, before she stood up and hastily made her way towards the door.
"I've got to go; we have school in the morning" Bonnie murmured as she walked out the door followed by Jeremy who stopped and looked at his sister.
"You ok if I head out with Bonnie?" Jeremy asked Elena who looked at Damon for a moment as if weighing up a decision in her mind.
"I'll be fine Jeremy, go" Elena murmured in reply, Jeremy nodded his head and caught up to Bonnie wrapping his arm around her shoulder.
"I have to head off too, you want a lift Caroline?" Alaric asked the blonde who nodded her head in reply.
"I'll see you tomorrow Elena" Caroline murmured to the teacher following him out the door leaving Damon on the couch and Elena standing awkwardly by the fireplace.
"You can have a seat you know" Damon murmured after a few moments of silence causing Elena to look up and smile at him before taking a seat on the other end of the couch. Damon could feel her eyes on him for a few moments before he turned and looked at her, his blue capturing her brown orbs in a piercing stare.
"See something you like?" Damon flirted shamelessly causing Elena to smile at him and shake her head.
"Do you have an off switch?" Elena asked in disbelief as Damon wiggled his eyebrows at her suggestively.
"I don't know, want to help see if we can find it?" Damon continued to flirt causing Elena to let out a laugh causing Damon to smile in response. Damon got up and poured himself a drink before pouring a second walking over to the couch once again offering the drink to Elena.
"I don't usually drink" Elena murmured starting at for a moment before she accepted it and took a small sip grimacing at the taste.
They sat in silence for a few moments before Damon looked over at the young woman and took in her features fully. At first glance she was identical to Katherine but as he looked closer he noted the flush to her skin from her beating heart and slight difference in scent committing them to memory; knowing Katherine she would try to mess with him by pretending to be Elena.
"You're not what I was expecting" Elena murmured after a few moments causing Damon to smile at her as she looked at him again.
"What, you expected me to like my brother. All broody and serious all the time?" Damon asked causing Elena to smile and shake her head.
"You know you give your brother some crap, but I can tell you really care about him" Elena murmured causing Damon to snort and start to prep himself a third drink.
"You just met me, what makes you say that?" Damon asked defensively not liking how this girl seemed to be able to get a read on him so fast.
"You don't seem to me to be the type of guy who drives across the country for just anyone and I can hear it in your voice when you talk about him" Elena replied with a fair amount of confidence; the thing was her words were right on the mark and they made Damon…uncomfortable.
"So, what are you still doing here, don't you have school as well?" Damon asked trying to change the subject not liking how well this girl seemed to know him so well.
"I'm waiting for Stefan…he wanted to talk" Elena answered looking into the fire to hide the fear in her eyes.
"He's not going to be back for a couple of hours you should get home, come on I'll give you lift home" Damon murmured to her Elena who sighed after a moment before standing up and following him out the door.
"Nice car" Elena murmured as they walked out the door causing Damon to smile and speed ahead of her causing her to gasp as he opened the door with a flourish.
"Milady your carriage awaits" Damon said bowing to her not understanding where this playful side was coming from. Shouldn't have had three bourbons so fast he thought himself as Elena walked to the car mock curtsying before sitting in the car.
"Why thank you kind sir" Elena replied from her seat in the car as Damon laughed, shutting the door and speeding over his side appearing in the driver's seat before Elena had even finished buckling her seat.
"Ok you have got to stop doing that" Elena gasped as Damon simply laughed at her before starting the car and pulling out of the boarding house driveway.
"You date a vampire, I thought you would be used to it?" Damon asked as Elena shook her in heard.
"Dated a vampire…after what happened I'm not sure if we can go back to the way we were" Elena replied before continuing "And Stefan never really used his super speed around him."
"Ahhh Stefan still pretending to be a human" Damon murmured to himself as Elena started to direct him towards her house. They chatted about small things, Damon mostly asking the questions and dodging when Elena asked him the same ones.
"You know it wouldn't kill you to answer a question" Elena murmured in frustration to Damon as they pulled up at her house.
"Ok you answer a question and I'll face the Spanish inquisition tomorrow deal?" Damon asked to her as he switched off the engine and turned to face Elena who simply nodded her head in agreement.
"If you're so scarred of Stefan why did you stay with me to wait for him?" Damon murmured causing Elena to look away for a moment before she looked back at him.
"I have a feeling you wouldn't hurt me…am I wrong?" Elena murmured looking at Damon who looked away from her eyes.
"You're too trusting" Damon replied getting out of the car and walking around opening the car door hers for her, Elena simply rolled her eyes and walked up the front steps Damon following close behind her.
"You want to come in?" Elena asked as she gathers her keys from her bag and looking up at Damon who was in shock at the question.
"You do realise that you're inviting a vampire into your home…that's not a smart thing to do" Damon murmured as she opened the door and looked at him for a moment.
"Well what happens if Katherine comes and you need to get in?" Elena shot back causing Damon to think for a moment seeing the logic in her thoughts.
"Not tonight Elena another time" Damon murmured not liking the feelings this girl was stirring in him after a single meeting, Elena smiled at him softly for a few moments.
"Well you're welcome to come in Damon, I'll see you tomorrow" Elena murmured walking into the house leaving Damon standing there in shock at the trust that human had just placed in him.
Mystic Grill, Mystic Falls, Virginia
Damon Point of View
It had been two days since Damon had arrived in Mystic Falls and he still hadn't caught sight of Katherine, and as Damon sat the bar of the local restaurant that had a glaringly lack of good whiskey Damon caught the scent of Jasmine on the air and before he knew what he was doing he turned and caught sight of Elena entering the Grill with Bonnie and Caroline beside her. Crap Damon thought to himself, he had been dodging her since he had dropped her off her at house two days ago.
For some reason the she wanted Damon to answer some questions, at first he thought it was because she wanted a better understanding of vampire's and the supernatural but he realised she was more interested in asking Damon personal questions about his life and Stefan's as well. Sighing Damon threw back the rest of the drink and slammed it down on the bar before turning around and coming face to face with the human he had been trying to evade.
"Damon, fancy seeing you here" Elena spoke raising an eyebrow at Damon "Going somewhere?"
"Yeah Stefan needs some help with something back at the boarding house" Damon replied trying to step by her, Elena simply mimicked his movements blocking his quick idea of an exit.
"You know you still owe me some answers, and Stefan is at a council meeting for the next two hours" Elena replied raising an eyebrow at him causing Damon to sigh.
"Look don't take this the wrong way but I'm here to protect you not make friends" Damon murmured looking down at her hoping she would get the hint but she simply smiled at him and Damon at the sinking feeling that she would only take his words as a challenge.
"Making friends isn't such a bad thing you know" Elena murmured leaning on the bar and ordering a drink for herself and her friends before she turned back to him.
"I don't do friends" Damon replied on reflex; it was true in a way; he had several vampires friends, but he never made long lasting relationships with humans. He never saw the point, there lives (and his human one as well) are violent, brutish and short.
"Well we are definitely changing that come on, you're coming with me" Elena murmured grabbing his arm and starting to drag him towards the table where her friends sat near the pool table.
As he approached, he noticed that both Bonnie and Caroline had their eyebrows raised at Damon coming to the table. Shaking his head, he gently extricated himself and starting to follow her.
"Hey gals, look who I was able to drag over" Elena murmured sitting down with her friends as Damon sat down as well, this caused Caroline to laugh and Bonnie to smirk at him.
"Yeah well, something tells me you can be really stubborn when you want to be" Damon replied causing Elena to splutter in outrage and her friends to simply laugh at the comment.
"You're not far off there Damon" Caroline replied smiling at Elena as she teased her.
"So, Damon, do you mind answering those questions you said you would before you disappeared?" Elena asked looking at Damon pointedly steering the subject in a direction she wanted.
"Pretty direct, aren't you?" Damon questioned admiring her spirit, she obviously wasn't going to be dissuaded from her goal.
"Well with your brother it like pulling teeth, he never told me the truth unless he had to. He didn't even tell me he had a brother until he called you" Elena spoke growing angrier with every word.
"I'm sensing some frustration from the group regarding my brother" Damon replied looking around the table and seeing looks of agreement.
"Look I'm not Stefan if you ask me something I will answer truthfully. But I can choose not to answer if I want to" Damon answered Elena who looked at him with those piercing brown eyes as if weighing up whether to trust him.
"Fair enough" Elena murmured as their drinks were delivered, Damon grabbed the waitress's hand and started to compel her.
"You will bring us a bottle of bourbon and glasses, you won't check for ID and you won't say anything about serving these three girls" Damon hypnotically said to her, she repeated it and went back to the bar as Damon smiled and looked at the table.
Bonnie and Elena had subtle looks of displeasure on their faces however Caroline had a look of curiosity and intrigue. He figured the baby vamp would have some questions for him; all she's had is his brother as a role model and he's not the most…stable vampire.
"Stop with the judgy eyes, if we're gonna talk I'm going to need bourbon and I don't want to drink alone. Unless you want you want Blondies mum to bust you guys for drinking" Damon replied as Caroline rolled her eyes at him when he called her blondie.
"You can do that so well; Stefan can barely compel a person and you do it as if its second nature" Elena spoke after a moment causing Damon to laugh.
"My brothers diet negates the finer aspects of the vampire life. I am much stronger than him" Damon replied in response to her unanswered question.
"Do you reckon you could teach me that?" Caroline asked making Bonnie and Elena shoot her confused looks.
"Look blondie if you want I can give you some pointers, but don't think I'm some sort of vampire sensei…that's my brothers thing" Damon replied as the waitress came back and deposited the bourbon and glasses at their table.
As Damon poured a drink for everyone, he noticed that Elena seemed to be reluctant to drink. Blondie shot hers down with no problem and Bonnie drank a little, but Elena still hadn't touched her's from where he placed it before her.
"Come on Elena, take five minutes out of your life. The problems will still be there in the morning, it won't kill you to have to have some fun. Unless you're afraid to drink with the big bad vampire" Damon spoke slightly challenging her as she raised her eyebrows at him before swigging the drink back in one gulp.
"There we go" Damon spoke smiling at the group and pouring another drink.
"I used to be more fun" Elena replied smiling at him as she took the glass, he was offering her.
"To five minutes" Damon spoke holding up his glass and clinking with the girls.
Over the next several hours Damon found himself having more fun than he'd had in years. Elena was a riot and her friends smiling the whole way through the night. The drinks kept flowing and they decided to play some pull, Damon was impressed by Elena's ability to play pull and the fact that she was laughing his jokes. His brother never liked his sense of humour and whilst Bonnie and Caroline laughed, Elena's was different. And he found himself smiling whenever he was able to get that infectious sound to erupt from her mouth. As the night wore on Caroline and Bonnie drifted home; they both offered to give Elena a lift, but she shook her head and said that she would find her way home. After reassuring both that he would get her home safely they both departed leaving Damon and Elena alone.
Throughout the night Elena continued to ask him questions…but for the first time they were about him. Sure, she asked questions about Stefan, but she also asked what his life was like. Where he had lived, what his favourite bands were, his favourite colour, his favourite decade. He thought she would inquire about Stefan whenever he came up in one of the stories, but she never pursued it, instead she seemed content to simply listen to his stories. The bartender had just called final call and Elena had finished the shot glass she was challenging Damon with when her shaking around next to him and throwing it in his face that he she had finished first made him splutter and a little bit of bourbon to dribble out of his mouth.
"Aww Damon do you need a bib?" Elena teased still having her hands raised above her in victory causing Damon to laugh at her.
"I'm sorry we can't all unhinge our jaws to drink alcohol like a snake" Damon teased back as she wrapped an arm around his and leaned her head down.
"Come on you have to get me home and to bed" Elena spoke starting to walk and pull him up from the chair at the same time.
"Oh Elena, I know you find me irresistible, but I will not go to bed with you on the first date" Damon replied as she spluttered at him before she realised, he was teasing her.
"You wish Salvatore" she shot back as they walked out of grill and into the chilly air.
They stood next to each other for a few moments before Elena smiled at him and started to walk towards her house with Damon falling into step beside her. They walked in comfortable silence, Damon had to steady Elena several times when she stumbled, she sent him several grateful smiles when he did this. Once they reached her house Damon followed her up the steps, he was reaching out with his sense trying to see if there any other vampires in the area while Elena unlocked the door. After she did, she turned and faced him giving him a soft smile while she leaned against the door frame.
"Thanks for tonight Damon, I actually had a lot of fun" Elena spoke smiling at him as he chuckled in response.
"You're not the worst company in the world Elena" Damon replied smiling at her, and for the next few moments they simply stared at each other, each lost in their own thoughts.
"Goodnight Elena" Damon spoke after several minutes before turning down and walking down the porch stairs.
He stopped once when he heard the door close and then as he went to continue his walk home, he stopped again. He wasn't sure why, but he found himself filled with worry and concern; what if Katherine came for Elena while she was asleep. Sighing to himself he walked back to her house, using the shadows and avoiding the streetlamps with ease and then settled himself beneath the tree he found sat outside Elena's bedroom window.
It was still on and Damon could hear the scratching of pen on paper from inside the room, he closed his eyes and slowly focused on the heartbeat coming from the room. As he sat down, he realised that he wasn't going to be going anywhere tonight and for the life of him he couldn't understand the sudden need to make sure Elena slept safely. If his brother or anyone asked he would simply say he didn't want Stefan's brooding annoying him for the rest of eternity, but deep down at had something more to do with the human girl currently turning out her light and settling in for the night.
End of Chapter Note: What did everyone think, not a lot happened just some bonding between the characters. Next chapter see's Damon come face to face with Katherine for the first time in over a century…it's going to be interesting that's for sure. As always let me know what everyone thinks and till next time.