Damon glances at the clock on the wall. It's nearing five, Ric and the captain have already left. Running on fumes since he didn't sleep well or rather hasn't slept well since that night with her, he powers down his computer and locks the office door when he finishes up himself. Just as he reaches his car, he feels his phone vibrate in his pocket. He pulls it out at the same time he opens the door.

"Detective Salvatore," Damon replies somberly after peeking at the caller ID, the number isn't familiar to him though.

"Detective," the smooth well known voice of his nemesis, aka Elena's attorney addresses him.

Damon fights the urge to growl a colorful metaphor. Fisting his free hand, he spits out, "Mikaelson."

"Hello Detective Salvatore? And how are you this fine afternoon?"

"Cut the crap, why are you calling me?"

"I just called to see if you'd like to join us for a little chat."

Damon's trying to figure out what Elijah freaking Mikaelson could possibly want, other than his head on a silver platter that is, but comes up grasping for straws. "What exactly are you up to? A chat? Really? Where and with whom?"

"I'll meet you at Elena's. As soon as you can get here."

"Is this some kind of a set up? Game, set, match, I'm down for the count? Or are you being above board for once and changing your mind about Miss Gilbert giving us a statement?" He hates that he sounds so unsure.

Elijah chuckles, "'Miss Gilbert' hasn't changed her mind about anything. But yes, she will be present too... Oh, and Detective Salvatore, I think this is one time that you would do well to come alone."

And what is that supposed to mean? Somehow Damon knows he's about to step into a hornet's nest but the bastard has him over a barrel, he can't not go. He wants to see her.

"I'll take your silence as a yes, detective. We'll see you in a few."

The phone just goes silent, Damon curses, slips behind the wheel, guns the engine and pulls onto the highway with a screech of his tires.

Elena's house is bathed by the late afternoon sun, it looks almost unreal and Damon recalls how completely bewitched he felt the last time he was here. It was like she cast a spell and even though he was powerless to fight it, he's not sure he really wanted to. Even with that said, he should have listened to his heart and taken a more cautious approach with his actions. He should have savored the feeling and kept it tucked safely inside instead of trying to unspell it by...

Damon shakes his head to try to clear his mind, a futile gesture but none of that matters. Right now, he needs to focus and figure out why Mikaelson invited him. The astute lawyer has been the bane of his existence for as long as he can remember. After parking his car alongside the curb, Damon stares at the house for a few more minutes before he gets out. As he looks around, he sees Elijah's car parked in her driveway.

The arrogant SOB is present and is likely drooling saliva from the tips of his fangs, just waiting to tear him apart not only physically but professionally too. He slams the car door and then walks across the road and down her sidewalk. Once he reaches her gate, he pushes the button to alert them to his presence. Less than a minute passes before the smarmy lawyer himself steps outside, opens the gate and steps aside to let him pass. Damon would like nothing more than to wipe the floor with that sarcastic smile of his.

"Don't you worry, Damon, Chief Jordan won't ever know about this little... meeting. Privacy is something both Miss Gilbert and I respect highly."

Damon doesn't answer as he passes his perfectly ironed figure and enters the house, Elijah gesturing for him to keep going to the living room. His eyes go to Elena the moment he spots her occupying the armchair by the fireplace. He remembers her dazed face when he was bending over her on the couch but before his mind will let him go there, he suddenly notices another young woman sitting on it.

She's strangely familiar. He gives it a thought but chases it away immediately, certain he's never seen her before. Obviously he's seeing things that aren't there.

"Good afternoon," he nods his head and looks from Elena to Elijah and back to the woman questioningly. Does she have something to do with Jeremy's case? To his shock, the woman's eyes glisten with tears. He watches with rapt attention as she brings a tissue to her face to dab them.

Elijah comes into the room behind him, bringing a tray of freshly squeezed lemonade. He hands Damon one and then sets the platter on the end table, serving both Elena and the other woman. "I figured we could all use a refreshment on such a hot and humid afternoon."

"Thank you," Damon mumbles, confused by the unlikely company he finds himself in. His gut is churning so chaotically, he has to swallow back the taste of bile when it begins to burn the back of his throat. His every instinct is telling him something isn't right. He feels like a circus attraction the way the three of them are all staring at him unblinkingly.

"Damon," Elena addresses him and it's yet another shock to his system. He hasn't heard her sweet voice for several days now. Honestly, he doesn't even remember the last time he heard her use his first name. "I'd like you to meet my new friend... she's very anxious to meet you."

"Excuse me?"

"Damon," Elena repeats, "this is Katherine. Katherine Pierce."

At first, it doesn't ring any bells. Why would Elena be introducing him to a friend of hers? He once again looks at Elena, expecting her to explain this weird charade. Everything feels so surreal, almost dream like when... suddenly he feels nauseous. Her name was...

What the...?

"Damon?" Katherine's voice wavers. "I'm sorry to ambush you like this. I've been looking for a long time, I needed to find you..."

Damon's head is spinning and he unconsciously shakes it 'no'. No... It can't be. It can't be her, not her.

"Damon?" she slowly gets up but he jumps back a step, his eyes are riveted to her face. Now he can see the resemblance. The big brown eyes, the glasses look more stylish but...

Elena watches them intently and feels like a voyeur. She knows she should avert her eyes and give them some privacy, but she's literally hypnotized by the scene playing out in front of her and her feet won't move. Just when she thinks Damon is finally going to say something, answer his sister's plea, he snaps his stormy face to hers.

"What kind of game are you playing at?"

"Damon, calm down."

"Calm down? Are you being serious right now?" His eyes dart wildly around the room before zeroing in on hers again. "I don't give a fuck what you three cooked up behind my back but I will not be made a fool of. I have no intention, NO FUCKING INTENTION OF PLAYING ALONG!"

He breathes so heavily that his chest is heaving and his face reddens with anger. For a moment Elena fears he will strike out, hitting Katherine or maybe Elijah who steps forward with his arms raised in a calming motion to try to diffuse the situation.

It won't work. He's been pushed too far.

She opens her mouth to say something but before she can even utter a syllable, the enraged detective storms out of the room. The last thing they all hear is thunderous echo of the front door slamming shut.

Elena glances at Elijah and then they both look at Katherine who seems to be holding on but just barely. Elena moves closer to support her but Damon's sister's not going to break down.

"Thank you," she says. "I knew it wouldn't be easy. I was really just a little duck but I do have bits and pieces of memories, recall certain things, things that he obviously hasn't forgotten either. As much as I was hoping for a different outcome, I'm not at all surprised by his reaction. Our parents treated him badly, very badly and when they got tired of him, they threw him away as if he was no more than a crumpled up piece of paper. How can I blame him for wanting nothing to do with me?" she sighs.

"I'm sorry it took this turn," Elijah offers but Katherine shakes her head. He almost feels a little remorse for the man but Elena is his priority. He cannot and will not allow him to continue to harass her.

"No, you don't need to apologize. It's me who should be thanking you, Mr. Mikaelson. I'm grateful to have this chance, something I wouldn't have had without you. And I'm not giving up. This is too important to me. I don't know how long it will take but one day, he will hear me out."

Elena has to smile at the determination in the young woman's voice. That's definitely a trait she has in common with her brother. "Okay," she tries to move them past the awkwardness, "who wants pizza? Anyone hungry?"

Both Elijah and Katherine mumble their consent.

Before the dinner's delivered, the three of them sit and talk as if they have known each other for some time. Elijah takes Katherine to her hotel later and Elena watches them leave from behind the curtain. They were an effective distraction, now however, thoughts of Damon creep back into her head.

She knows she won't be getting much sleep tonight.

He doesn't play with the other kids, he doesn't wait for his parents to come back for him, not anymore. They have his sister now and they don't want him. He doesn't like his teachers, they always want to talk to him but he doesn't want to answer their questions. And so he stays silent, hoping to fade into nothingness like a little mouse. He wishes he could sleep all day. When he's asleep, he doesn't have to think. Sometimes, they let him sit here in the garden, his bench is half hidden among the trees. It reminds him of his old hiding place, the one his father ordered to be destroyed... just like him.

He can hear voices and laughter. They won't laugh at him now, he's invisible. The kids play tag in front of the house, they forget about him and he's glad. He just wants to be alone. He nearly misses a tall man with a kind smile coming closer.

"Hi Damon? I'm Giuseppe Salvatore. Do you mind if I sit with you for a bit?"

Damon turns his eyes to the man and studies him carefully. After a few moments he moves aside to make a place for him to sit but doesn't make a sound.

"I know you don't know me, but I've been looking for you for a very long time."

I'm sorry this is a short chapter, it needed to end there. Chapter 25 is the usual length.

Huge thanks to all of you, you're the best of the best and reason we continue to write Damon and Elena stories. If you're interested, I posted the cover image for "The Night All Angels Cry" on my FB page.

Lots of love and thanks to you, Eva. You're always willing to take the leap with and help write these stories.

Chapter title: 'One Boy's Story'.

We did post a o/s last week, "A Restless Heart and Obsidian Skies".

Have a fantastic day and thank you again so very much. We'll see you next time.