Tuesday 24th December, 11:52pm*
Our tree was densely decorated with twinkling lights and baubles in all shapes, sizes and colours. It was a truly gorgeous tree and it gleamed with pride in the large living room.
Of course, Damon did most of the trimming, having spent more than 150 years decorating a tree every Christmas.
"There. All done."
He crossed his arms in front of the tree, his eyes bursting with confidence as his masterpiece dominated the parlour. He walked back to the sofa I was curled up on and wrapped his arms around my shoulders, bringing me into his chest.
"What do you think of the tree then?"
I laid my hand across his torso and sighed, appeased.
"I certainly think you've outdone yourself Damon."
I felt him gasp sarcastically at my snarky remark. I waited for him to return with an equally bitchy one but as he opened his mouth to speak the door bell rang.
I froze. My whole body tensed up and I jolted upright, grasping onto Damon for protection.
He felt my desperate call for help and he shushed me.
"It's alright, it's just our dinner."
I let out an exasperated sigh and mentally kicked myself for being so frightened.
It's just the damn door. Get a grip woman.
"Right. Dinner. Forgot about you."
He kissed my head at my statement.
"I'm going to go pay. Can you get a couple of plates out from the cupboard and we'll serve it up in here."
I shook my head and chuckled at my petrified reaction.
"Are you sure you wanna live with me still? If I'm jumping at the door bell now then I doubt it'll be long before I'm running from my own shadow."
He took my face in his hands and gave me a long passionate kiss.
"You could be running from yourself and I'd still wanna live with you."
"I'm already running from myself."
"And I still wanna live with you."
"I love you Damon."
I Eskimo- kissed him and gave him a little shove towards the door.
"Now go, I'm hungry!"
As he was walking towards the door, it rang again and I heard him whisper to himself just before I got to the kitchen.
"Alright, alright. Im coming. Jeez Louise."
I laughed out loud and got myself a drink before reaching for the plates in the top cupboard. After finishing off my water, I poured another glass and took it with me to the parlour.
"I hope you don't fill up on pizza and garlic bread because I've got a rather juicy dessert waiting for you in the bedr-"
The plates and glass slipped out of my hands and fell to the floor, shattering around me, creating a sort of barrier at my feet. I felt the cold water drown my feet and my throat dried at the view in front of me.
Stood in front of me was Bonnie, Caroline and my brother, Jeremy.
"Elena-"
Caroline stepped forward and I matched her actions, steeping back simultaneously.
"Damon called and told us that you were feeling a little down. We came to cheer you up."
She had a soft smile and a sparkle in her eyes. Just like I remember.
The last time I had seen all of them together was Jeremy's going away party at the Grill. Bonnie and Damon had banded together to close the restaurant for the evening so we could celebrate Jeremy getting into college. I smiled discreetly at the happy memories dancing around in my head.
"That was so long ago." I whispered, mainly to myself. Jeremy spoke up next.
"The last time we were together was on the 30th of August. Just before I went to college. Is that what you mean?"
I nodded my head in agreement, still not being able to process the thought of them being in the same room as me. I thrust my head in the direction of where Damon was standing, I only now realised now that the doorbell wasn't food-it was my friends.
"When did you do this?"
He walked around the sofas so he was stood in front of me.
"I made a group chat the other week with everyone in it-including Stefan but he couldn't make it, he had a work commitment. But I thought it would be nice for you to see everyone, especially at Christmas."
I was still grasping at the thought of this gesture. I just couldn't believe what was happening.
Bonnies voice was the next thing I heard.
"We all tried getting in touch before now, ask Damon, but he had told us a little about a rough patch you were going through and we thought it'd be best to let you recover first before we visited."
I turned to him, anger present in my stance and facial expression.
"Why didn't you let me see my friends?"
He held his hands up to surrender before answering me.
"Elena, believe me, that was not my decision. I consulted with Clara before inviting everyone over. I needed to make sure this wouldn't provoke any negative feelings or actions."
I paused to take in his answer before asking a question directed at the newcomers.
"What do you know about the last few months?"
They all exchanged glances between one another before Bonnie spoke for them all.
"Damon has told us that Tyler attacked you the night of Caroline's birthday and that dealing with it has been excruciating. He's actually be quite vague about what's been going on with you."
Caroline, Bonnie and Jeremy looked at each other again, as if they were having a conversation with just their eyes. Jeremy spoke up.
"But you're so much stronger than that which is why we don't believe you Damon. We came to get answers about what really went down that night. We've come to help you Elena."
That did it. All the tears I was trying so hard to keep below the surface just came streaming out in one vulnerable moment. The three guests ran up and wrapped their arms around me. I hugged as many as I could and let the tears fall freely.
"I missed you guys so fucking much, you have no idea how much I love all of you."
"Aw Elena you've made me cry! Thank god I opted for waterproof mascara today."
I laughed, I missed Caroline's one liners.
"I have been begging Damon to let us see you for weeks and I never expected this to be your reaction, I thought I'd be the one bawling."
I kissed Bonnies cheek. I missed her compassion.
"I'm gonna fucking kill that bastard for what he did to you Elena."
I hugged Jeremy the most. I missed his overprotectiveness.
Between the shoulders and heads I saw Damon watching from a distance and we had a silent conversation.
"Thank you so much for this."
"You're welcome."
"I love you."
"I love you too."
Caroline was the first to pull away.
"Right! It's Christmas Eve and we have present and cards to dish out!"
Bonnie clapped excitedly and Jeremy went over to the bag I didn't know he dropped.
I jumped at the sudden contact on my shoulder.
"I'm just gonna make everyone a cup of tea and clean up the glass before you hurt yourself.."
Damon whispered in my ear behind me and kissed my cheek. I placed my hand on his and turned my head to the floor where my feet and glass were mixed together.
"I'm sorry. I didn't even realise-"
"It's fine. Just watch out for the big piece near the sofa."
I watched him walk to the kitchen before sitting in the middle of the girls with Jeremy on the floor pulling presents and cards out from his massive bag.
"Jeez Santa, how much stuff did you bring?!"
"You won't be complaining when you see what I've bought you."
I sighed,
"You guys seriously didn't need to get me anything, just your company is plenty."
"Well suck it up. We've all got you something."
I shook my head and laughed.
"Thank you for this you guys. It's been a rough couple of months to say the least."
After I opened all the presents, and hugged each gift giver, Damon came in and asked what everyone wanted to eat, as we were actually ordering in now. He went back to the kitchen and rang up the takeaway place. All four of us still in the living room bickered about our lives over the last couple of months, I could tell each one of them were edging on asking me what had really happened in October. And to be honest, I was planning on telling them, I really was. But I just couldn't do it alone. So I made a pledge to tell them as we were all eating dinner together, that way, Damon would be in the room and I'd be strong enough to. The issue is, though, that no matter how strong Damon makes me, I have to learn to be brave on my own.
A comfortable murmur of clattering plates and requests for food settled in over us and it was the most I've felt at home for a very long time. I sat there for a couple minutes, just watching over everyone getting along and laughing at their own pleasantries. Jeremy's voice snapped me out of my trance and I smiled a genuinely happy smile.
"Elena, you alright over there?"
"What? Oh yeah, I am fine. I just missed this so much."
I got happy smiles back as a response and it was settled. I was at home again and I never wanted this feeling to go away.
When everyone was finished eating and the plates and food had been cleared away, we all sat in front of the fire in silence. I felt this was the right time to address the elephant in the room.
"I think I'm ready to come clean now."
This got everyone's attention-even Damon was intrigued.
"Do you want the good news or the tragic news first?"
As was expected, they all voted for the tragic thing first.
"You can stop at any time Elena, don't feel pressured into telling us everything."
Bonnie reassured me and it boosted my confidence, almost compelling me to tell them now.
"Thank you Bonnie, but I have to do this."
Damon held my hand in his lap and stroked the top with the pad of this thumb. He whispered in my ear.
"Just take your time, darling."
Through tears, hugging and crying, I finally got it all out. Everything that Tyler did to me- the attack in the shower, the broken mirror, my first self inflicted 'incision', the pregnancy and, at last, my miscarriage from Tyler's second attack. I got started on my therapist, Clara and how helpful she's been with collaborating with Damon.
"I've only met with her once but I've emailed her a few times. Our next appointment is in about three weeks on the 14th of January."
All the faces staring back at me were filled with sorrow and sadness, as though they were trying to take away my pain using their looks.
"But enough of the pity party, now for the good stuff!"
This seemed to lighten the mood a bit so I carried on. I motioned to Damon to join me at the front of the small crowd and he curled his arms around me while I grasped onto his hands tightly.
"We're engaged"
A shrill squeal erupted from Bonnie and Caroline as they rushed over and started clawing at my hand, trying to get a decent view of the ring.
"Whew Damon, that is one big ass sparky diamond."
"Hello Care? It's Damon, you really think he'd settle for a small, mediocre ring for Elena?"
"That is very true. So tell me Damon, what's the history behind this ring? Which princess did you steal it from back in the day?"
I smiled at Caroline's cocky response and answered her question for him.
"Actually Care, this ring used to belong to Damon's mother. She gave it to him just before she died."
Damon cleared his throat and decided to join in.
"Yes, I was 17 and I had no idea what to do with it except keep it somewhere safe. Before I gave it to Elena, it had spent the last 160 years gathering dust in the attic."
I smiled at him then back at the ring.
"I'm sure you can imagine my surprise when he dug this massive sparkler out of his back pocket!"
I could see a subtle tear crawl down Jeremy's face. He sighed, content with life and spoke happily.
"I am just so happy for you both. I know that you've longed for someone to spend your life with Elena and I couldn't imagine you spending it with anyone else-"
Just before anyone else butted in, he continued.
"- with that being said; Damon, if you ever hurt my big sister or cause her distress if any kind, I will personally hunt you down. And kill you."
He finished with a proud grin and eyed Damon.
Damon smirked at Jeremy and the tension eased off.
"Alright Pocahontas, message received. But I just want you to know that any discomfort Elena experiences, I feel it tenfold. Her pain hurts me too."
He pulled me in for a tight hug and I glanced over at the clock on the wall.
"Well guys, it's officially Christmas Day."
With his arm still hanging over my shoulder, Damon and everyone glanced at the same clock and found someone to hug.
It was 2:37 Christmas morning when they gang eventually decided to go home. As much as I wanted them to stay forever, I was spent. But I adored having them come to see me at the last minute, just before Christmas too and the timing was perfect, with everything going to shits. I just had one special person to thank for the unexpected surprise- and boy was he gonna get thanked.