Why won't he just go away?

Frustration is billowing inside Elena as she watches a group of uniformed and plain clothed cops pass by her in one of the club's corridors, the one leading to the old, decrepit passageway. Most don't even give her a glance which infuriates her that much more. This is her place, her business and yet they've marched in and took over like she had no claim on it at all.

When they labeled it as crime scene, stringing up yellow police tape, it ceased to become The Jungle', at least until they get the hell out. Fuming as she moves forward, she suddenly meets Detective Salvatore. Wordlessly, they hold each others stare for several moments, making Elena wonder what he's trying to read in her eyes. Guilt? Fear? Defiance? Or never ending sadness? They would all be there.

How did it happen that they found that long forgotten passage? It was closed up on the club's side a very long time ago. How did such thick walls give away their secrets? Or is it Jeremy's last twist of the knife, reaching beyond the grave to drag her down with him?

He was supposed to be gone.

Having passed Elena in the corridor, Damon wasn't expecting the torn feelings that bubbled up inside of him when he looked into her deep brown eyes. He should be excited about all this right?

He's pumped about their new lead and also feels a little bit smug, that heartless woman with her holier than thou attitude can't anything to stop them now. Armed with a subpoena, she is legally obligated to give them access to the club and even her arrogant highfalutin lawyer has his hands tied. There's nothing he can do legally to remove them from her club.

Elena and her merry band of yes men, can do nothing but stand back and hope that he won't sniff out anything that may incriminate the grand dame of this establishment. And he will, they can make bet on it.

However, when he caught her eyes earlier, she looked sort of lost and helpless and without his consent he suddenly felt like Mephistopheles, harassing an innocent girl. Innocent? "Yeah right?" he scoffs under his breath.

He's supervising the forensics team that's clearing out the previously unknown passageway. Between that and interrogating various staff members, he's not optimistic about finding any eyewitnesses or anyone else that may know knowledge of it, still he hopes that he'll be able to pick up on something from their reactions or perhaps evasive responses.

"Do you want me to stay here? Miss Gilbert's free to talk to you now," Luka stands behind him.

Damon nods and leaves him in the cellar, rolling his eyes at Miss Gilbert's superiority. She'll never give up.

He climbs the stairs rather than waiting for the elevator, it's running nonstop with the police and forensics team's presence. The door is open, he's met with Enzo's glowering stare as soon as he crosses the threshold.

"Mr. St. John, is she inside?"

Enzo doesn't reply verbally, but nods to Elena's office. Damon doesn't bother to spare him another glance and with a short knock he enters.

Elena's sitting in the chair behind her desk looking out of the window. Unlike almost all of their previous encounters, this time she's alone. Strangely none of her guard dogs is lurking around. She shifts her gaze to him and he's struck with her beauty. Instantly he shakes off the strange feeling because he feels like a fool. It must be the effect of the dream. She does look... somehow different. Still, when she does speaks, the coldness is there.

"Mr. Salvatore...?"

He lightly bows his head, acknowledging silently that they saw each other earlier. "I just wanted to inform you, the cellar is blocked off. If there's anything you need access to, ask our officers to assist you. Our questioning will be going on for a few more days, you have a lot of employees. We want to sort out people who couldn't have had anything to do with your brother's murder and those whose statements are irrelevant. I'm afraid you're going to have to put up with me for some time to come. The club can stay open, of course."

"Of course," Elena has a hard time not scoffing at the irony of it all. As if their presence is just a small inconvenience, as if it won't affect the bottom line. She has a business to run and employees to pay. There's not an iota of doubt in her mind that customers will think twice about entering a club that is swarming with cops. In his mind, the smarmy Detective Salvatore is probably rubbing his gleeful little hands together.

"Where is your lawyer?" Damon asks conversationally.

"Do you miss him?" It's out of her mouth before she can think about it.

Damon's brow lifts at her impertinence. He opens his mouth to speak but she raises her hand to stop him.

"Sorry, forget the comment. Elijah has more pressing matters right now," she gives him an all knowing smile and Damon can't help but think that Mr. Mikaelson is up to no good, most likely something unpleasant for him and his team.

"Alright. You know where to reach me when you're free, then we can talk about why we're here in the first place. "

"Anytime," Elena doesn't hesitate, a cunning smile still playing on her lips. "I know why you're here, detective, but I would hope you'll have the courtesy to let me know if you find anything of significance. This is my club after all."

Damon bows his head and leaves the room, thinking he'll never walk away the winner when sparring with her.

It's be so much easier if his body didn't react wickedly every time she's near.

After spending a good portion of his day at the club, Damon decides to end his interrogations when one the forensic technicians tell him the portal between the two buildings is pretty benign. They took several fingerprints but Damon knows that even if hers are among them, it doesn't prove anything. She owns the building, it would be abnormal if her prints or the known prints of her parents weren't there.

Ric and Luka left a little earlier when he got a lead on one of his other cases. When Damon reaches his car, something possesses him to look back. The window is in the vicinity of her office, a gape in the curtains quickly closes when he raises his eyes upward. He can't say if it was her eyeing him or perhaps one of her minions? Sighing, he slides into his car and drives back to the station and goes directly to his office. He no more than sits down when he's interrupted.

"How did they take it?" Jordan asks when he pokes his head into Damon's office.

"She's one tough cookie and is none to happy to have her place crawling with cops. Said it's bad for business." Damon rakes his hand though his hair, his level of frustration building. "I took upon myself to play nice and clear out the club so her patrons won't abandon the place in droves."

"And?"

"Other than the fact that the buildings are connected, nothing has jumped out at me so far." He pauses to study his boss, recognizing the look on Chief Jordan's face.

"If it's Mr. Mikaelson you're wordlessly alluding to," he pauses, perusing the man. "I didn't see him lurking around. Miss Gilbert told me he was busy somewhere else so if I were to read between the lines, I think it means, he's going to stir up some trouble, he specializes in it," Damon adds sarcastically.

"Hm, hm... Alright, I want your report on my desk the first thing in the morning."

"Sure," Damon strains through his teeth. Jordan gives him a short nod and leaves for his own office, pulling the door closed behind him.

Before Damon can curse at least mentally, his phone vibrates.

"Hey dad," he greets when he sees it's him on the display. "Everything alright?"

"Relax, nothing's wrong, well except for the fact that your brother clearly thinks school is a waste of time. I'm calling you to remind you of your date..."

"My date?" Damon asks incredulously. "Ain't I a bit old to be set up? Or not old enough?"

The calmest chuckle comes over the phone. "You tell me, Damon? But no, this date is completely your own doing. You promised Rose..."

Ah, Rose! "I'm sorry dad, I can't make it. We have a new lead, we'll probably..."

"Oh no, Damon, don't give me that. You can't back out now, she's depending on you to escort her to the event."

"But dad, it's not like I conjured up this new lead out of whole cloth. How could I know that it would drop in my lap today of all days. And besides, you know how important this is to me."

"I believe that you honestly forgot about it but you cannot tell me that you can't take an evening off to help out a friend."

"Sure I can if I sacrifice some sleep."

"Don't be cheeky young man!" his father uses that tone and there's no argument. "She's expecting you to be here by six to pick her up."

"Okay, okay, I'll try to be there on time."

Clearly, he's out of options.

Elena steps away from the window as soon as he drives away. She saw him look up but she can't say that he was looking for or at her. What is it about that man that makes her want to spit nails? Sitting down at her desk, she returns to her computer to finish placing orders for the bar and restaurant. There's also complimentary toiletries to be ordered for the guest rooms.

There are times that she wishes this hadn't all fallen in her lap. When she hears a soft knock on her door, she looks up just in time to see his head poke through the gap in the door. Using her arm, she gestures for him to join her.

"Did you find anything?" Elena welcomes Elijah when he finally arrives. She's been waiting most of the afternoon for him to show his face.

"Good afternoon to you too, my dear Elena," he teases, placing his briefcase on the end table before plopping down on her office couch.

Elena rolls her eyes but quickly jumps up and joins him. "Coffee?"

"Thank you, Enzo's already on it. To answer your question, yes and no."

Elena shifts slightly and raises her eyebrow at him. "And...? Could you be any more cryptic?"

He winks at her while opening his briefcase.

She furrows her brows, "Well?"

"I can try... if that's what you want," the twinkle in his eyes is evident. She so close to murdering him.

Opening her mouth to tell him just that, the words stop on her lips when Elijah, sensing her rebuttal, stops her with a gesture. "What I know now is this, there is something to be found. Detective Salvatore's records are sealed and the file is quite thick. With a little digging and a little bribery, April allowed me a quick look."

"Don't stop there."

"Damon Salvatore has either been adopted or he has a criminal background of some sort. If he was a juvenile, his record would have been expunged but my first instinct is the former given his choice of a profession. You have to be pretty clean, damn near spotless to get into the police academy. He's no slouch either, his GPA was near the top of his class. Our favorite... I use that term loosely," he chuckles when he sees the disgruntled look on her face. "Detective would have had several options available after graduating from UNLV with a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice. The bad news... I was interrupted before I could do any real digging. However there's still his family..."

Elena shakes her head 'no' even before he finishes his sentence. "We already know the Salvatore family has lived here for a long time. I also know that my parents and his father were acquaintances. Would it have been possible to keep an adoption that big of a secret?"

"Sure... anything is possible but I'm not sure how probable it is. The Salvatore neighbors would have known if Giuseppe and his wife suddenly showed up with a baby. I can also tell you that Jenna Salvatore is much too young to be Damon's biological mother. Her husband has a few years on her."

"Interesting."

"Indeed. I'm going to talk to my dad. There's no doubt in my mind that he probably knows something about it and if he doesn't, he'll be able to tell me who to talk to next."

During their conversation Enzo shows up with a fresh pot of coffee and plate full of scrumptious smelling pastries. His eyes find Elena's and she gives him a small smile that quickly turns into furrowed forehead, her frustration patently obvious. "I really need to know if he has some dirty little secret or secrets. I'd like nothing more than to hand him his arrogant ass on a silver platter."

Enzo unwillingly leaves when Elijah gestures for him to get lost. "If there's one to find and I believe there is, we'll find it, Elena. And then I'll take great delight in watching you teach him a few manners."

Elena nods but she's nowhere near as enthusiastic as she normally would be. Elijah studies her for a minute closely. "You know what? I'm supposed to attend the annual Nevada State Bar Association Soirée this evening and I'm decidedly lacking in my plus one... Would you spare me the embarrassment of showing up empty armed?"

"Really? I always thought you hated these things."

"I do but it's our annual meeting and then they're having an auction to raise money for the local charities."

"My point exactly, who in their right mind mixes a bunch of smarmy lawyers with a children's charity?"

"I assure you that no children will be at the event. Say yes?" Elijah urges.

"Alright, I'll be your plus one," she agrees with a grin on her face.

It's a little after six when Damon parks the car in front of his parents' house. As soon as he finished at the station, he had to run home, shower and change to make himself presentable. He sits there for a few seconds squeezing the steering wheel tightly. He can't imagine anything more boring than attending this dinner but he did make a promise.

After blowing out a frustrated puff of air, he lets go of the steering wheel and steps outside. Looking around, he sees Jenna looking through the window. Shaking his head, he smiles and waves at her but with him running late already, he doesn't have time to go inside to say hi.

Not only that, he doesn't want to upset his little brother by having to leave right away. Sighing, he jogs across the street, stopping when he reaches her door. It's not that he doesn't like Rose, he does. They've dated a few times it's just that Rose isn't the one, he's never felt a spark or anything else when he's kissed her.

Besides that, she practically had their wedding planned out after the first date. She made no bones about the fact that she was ready to settle and start a family. Sure he wants all of that but not yet. His career is very important to him and he has to be available 24/7, something she neither liked nor took into account.

They wouldn't have worked, maybe in the short term but he's certain that a divorce would have been on the docket within a year or two. Damon realized it after their first couple of dates and honestly, he has no idea if she's still disappointed, angry or if she maintains hope that the two of them may yet click. Guilt is a powerful emotion, it's the reason that he agreed to be her escort for this stupid event.

Before he rings the bell he turns around one more time and the curtain is still moving. Yep, his parents still hope that sparks will fly. He procrastinates as long as he can. Just as he raises his finger to push the button, the door swings open with Rose standing in front of him, perfect dress, perfect makeup and more than ready to go with her purse clutched in her hand. Pulling the door closed, she joins him outside.

"Hey," she gives him a small smile.

"Hey, I'm sorry I'm a little late, we're submerged in a big case and busy as hell. I am lucky to be able to get away for a few hours," he bends to her level and kisses her cheek. "And I had to swing by my place to make myself presentable.

Rose appreciatively takes in his appearance. "It's okay, we'll be there in time. Thank you for doing this."

Damon holds the car door open for her, then walks around it and takes his seat behind the wheel.

"Not that I'm complaining, spending an evening in the company of a beautiful woman is definitely better than anything else but why is it so important for you to be there? I know you, Rose, you're not exactly the party and dance type?"

"How do you know that? Did you check me out before we went on the first date?" she teases.

Damon chuckles. "No, but you don't look too enthusiastic now."

"I hate that I'm dependent on charity," she sighs. "I'm not that desperate that I need to beg someone to accompany me to these social events."

"Hey, you didn't beg. And if one of us is desperate, it isn't you. I don't honestly remember the last time I went to any party?"

Rose laughs and finally seems to relax.

"Would you mind if I ask you something work related?"

"Shoot," she looks curious.

"How well do you know Elijah Mikaelson?"

"Oh him... I know of him... we're acquaintances but that's all. I will say that he's very good at what he does."

"Which is?"

"Well, you know, he's an attorney. His client list is small but they're from the upper echelons of Reno society. I've heard through the grapevine that he represents some Las Vegas big wigs too. The people he works for are pretty safe from any and everything. He knows his way around a courtroom. He's obviously older than me," she adds, raising an eyebrow at Damon.

"When I was in law school, he was a legend even then for helping his father save one of his high powered clients. Mrs. Kendall, everyone's favorite teacher..., yeah I'm being sarcastic, but rumor has it that she hated him because he was offered a teaching position, one that she wanted. Clearly, his star was on the rise even then."

She stops, perusing Damon carefully. "Why the sudden interest? Did you cross sabers with him?"

"Something like that. It's related to a case of mine, suffice to say, one of his clients is suspect. Mikaelson wouldn't let me anywhere near her. He seems to enjoy sparring with me."

"That sounds like Elijah," Rose looks amused. "Whoever this woman is, if he's representing her, you may get to talk to her but it will be on his terms. I don't envy you."

Damon grimaces and soon he's turning into the valet parking lane at the Whitney Peak Hotel. The place is the only luxury boutique non gaming, non smoking hotel in Reno. It's centrally located just two blocks from the beautiful Truckee River Walk and adjacent to the historic Reno Arch. "This place ha?"

"Yes, a friend of mine was married here last year. It's beautiful."

"I'm going to have to try that climbing wall someday. When Stefan is older, I'll have to bring him here."

"He would love it," Rose agrees.

"Very much so... I suppose we should do this." Damon steps out of the car and after handing the valet his keys, he offers his arm to Rose.

Once they're inside Damon looks around and follows Rose when she moves to greet some of her colleagues. Wonderful. He's going to spend the whole evening with a gaggle of lowlife lawyers, as if he didn't already have his fill of just one... Elijah Mikaelson.

He helps himself to a glass of bourbon when a waiter walks past him. One thing is undeniably true. These people don't waste money on a cheap stuff, he'll give them that. Rose is moving between different groups and Damon tries not to lose her. Suddenly the crowd parts and when he sees why, he almost spits out his drink. Right in front of him, the couple dancing is none other than Miss Gilbert and the aforementioned Elijah Mikaelson, J.D.

He nearly chokes when an unexpected burst of jealousy floods his entire being.

Eva and I want to thank you all so very much. You're the best of the DE fandom. The best part of the DE phenomenon for me is all the friends I've made. Thank you again.

Thank you Eva. I love you dearly.

Chapter title: 'If Looks Could Kill' by Heart.

Along with trying to finish this story, we're also working on a sequel chapter to 'November Rain' and a one shot titled: 'Renegade'. Think Damon, Elena and lots of motorcycles. I'm going to post a tease on my scarlett2112 facebook page if you're curious.

We hope you all have a safe and fantastic day and a wonderful rest of your week. Thank you all again.