Thank you Ashleigh for betaing this chapter.
Someone like you
Chapter 4
'Our souls collided once'
Elena's eyes started to flutter as the bright sunlight glanced through the dark curtains in the bedroom. A smile appeared on her face as she felt tingles spread over her skin, her soul feeling complete after a long time of being hollow, her heart not aching after many mornings filled with pain.
Those emotions all shattered to pieces when she turned her head over her shoulder and found the empty space next to her, the sheets cold, and the room silent. She cleared her throat, ignoring her heart that started aching again; accepting the disappointment that washed over her, admitting to herself that she had been stupid to expect anything else.
She couldn't stop the tears that escaped her eyes as she dressed and prepared herself for another day in a life she didn't want to live. That life became more and more realistic as she descended the stairs, hearing noises coming out the kitchen, pans being thrown around, pots being stirred.
And for a moment she let herself hope, for one minute she pictured the man she would find in the kitchen. His black hair pointing in all different directions, his chest bare, showing off his perfect abs. The black pants he'd be wearing hanging loosely on his hips, so low she would be waiting for the moment it revealed his well-formed bottom.
"Good morning."
Together with the smile on her face, the hope in her heart fell. Her soul closing itself off for the voice it had not been made to hear. Her body stiffened as it detected the green eyes it wasn't meant to obey.
"Look who decided to come home."
"I know. I'm sorry." Stefan stopped stirring and shook his head. "I just needed some time to think."
"So did you finally gather enough ideas to finish your book?"
"I wanted to talk to you about that." He pushed himself from the counter, approaching her. "I know things between us have been tense, and I know that most of it is my fault."
"It's not only your fault, Stefan." She shook her head, letting her arms fall beside her. "I get that you're worried but I made a mistake five years ago and you can't keep reminding me of it."
Her heart clenched together, knowing she had almost made that mistake again last night when she let that man in her bed. Only to wake up in the morning to a disappointment again, to live a life she had settled for.
"And I won't do it again; from now on I'll trust you." His green eyes bored into hers. "I know I can trust you and I want you to trust me too."
"What do you mean?" She arched her eyebrow at him. "You weren't the one who cheated."
"But you cheated because there was something missing in our relationship." He bit his lip. "You admired that I was a creative mind but I get that it becomes irritating when that mind doesn't produce anything."
"So what are you going to do about it?"
"I have a business degree and I talked with my dad. I can start in his firm next week." He shrugged and laughed silently. "I think it will be good for the both of us if I go back to work."
"You've never worked before, Stefan." She rolled her eyes.
"But I'll start working now." He stared intensely at her. "This is going to be good for us."
And after everything he had forgiven her for, could she blame him for the flaws he had? The flaws that were only human? Her heart might belong to someone else, her soul might have another mate and her body might have another owner but her mind was still hers. A mind that controlled all those parts, had felt the pain of all those parts when she had been betrayed. The same mind that was now feeling the pain from every part of her, heart, soul and body that was screaming for comfort.
She had given her son a father because she knew it would be best for him. Her heart had felt so betrayed five years ago that she couldn't do anything other than think that she made a huge mistake. She came back and ran back into Stefan's arm because she had been young, naive, a girl that was scared to walk alone through life. Someone that thought she couldn't live without a man beside her. And she had been right; he was a good person, a good influence on her son and a good husband to her. Why would she let that go for a dream?
"Okay."
"Yes?" His green eyes shimmered while he cupped her face in his hands. "Are we starting over?"
"Yes." She nodded her head. "We'll start over."
"So wife." He pecked her lips softly. "Would you like some breakfast?"
"Sounds good."
"Good morning."
"You're late." Caroline glared at her.
"I'm sorry." She bit her lip. "But Stefan made breakfast."
"So he's finally back home?" Caroline put her hands on her hips. "Took him long enough."
"Tell me about it." She rolled her eyes. "He suddenly feels this need to be a better man and find a job and trust me in everything I do."
"And what do you think about it?"
"I want to believe him and I want our marriage to work." She came closer to Caroline and lowered her voice. "He's the only father Liam has ever known and he's a great father to him, I don't want to rip that away from my son."
"Hunnie." Caroline rubbed her arm. "You have to think about Liam but if you're going to be miserable, he's only going to become unhappy too. Kids feel those things."
"I'm not miserable." She rolled her eyes when Caroline gave her a look. "Fine, I was when I first came back but I'm fine now and Liam is happy too, that's what matters."
"Elena, Damon is here..." Caroline shrugged. "If you want to make things right, this is your chance."
"No." She shook her head fiercely. "Not after what he did."
"Elena.."
"I don't want to talk about." She held her hand up. "I just can't. Not today."
"Mommy!"
Elena's head snapped around as she recognized the voice from her son that ran into the office. His chestnut hair a mess, his shirt stained, his face carrying a huge smile, his blue eyes shimmering.
"Hi buddy." She wrapped her arms around his small frame and pecked his cheek. "I missed you so much."
"I missed you too mommy." He snuggled his face in her hair. "Can you and daddy stop fighting, please?"
"We'll stop fighting." She stroked his back, pressing him tighter against her. "You can come home soon."
"Okay."
"Elena."
Caroline's voice made her look up, her chin pointing to the glass that separated their offices. Her breath hitched as she saw Damon approach, Klaus walking next to him and pointing to their office. Tyler's head snapped around too, seeing the panic in the two women's eyes.
"Buddy." He patted Liam's head. "Do you want to feed the ducks in the park?"
"You need bread to feed them, uncle Ty." He rolled his eyes.
"So we'll get bread on the way." Tyler shrugged, looking over his shoulder.
"You're supposed to give the ducks old bread."
"Look who's being a smarty pants." Caroline crouched down next to him.
"My pants doesn't look so smart." Liam scoffed, his forehead wrinkling in a cute expression.
"What happened to you?" Elena exclaimed, for the first time noticing what he was wearing.
"I'll tell you." He crossed his arms and glared at Tyler. "You know when a driver takes a really wild turn and you're shouting really bad words at him. Well, uncle Ty took a turn like that so I spilled all my ice cream over me."
"And where did you get those pants from?" Caroline's forehead wrinkled.
"They were in my truck." Tyler shrugged. "It was the only decent thing he could wear."
"Tyler." Elena stood up, hugging her son against her leg. "Take him out of here."
"Come on, champ." He picked Liam up from the ground and put him on his shoulders. "We're going to talk to the ducks."
"Do you speak ducks, uncle Ty?"
Elena and Caroline chuckled as they heard Liam's chipper voice disappear from the room. That chuckle quickly disappeared as they saw the men enter the office, his black hair messy; his usually shimmering blue eyes now dull, surrounded by dark circles and a pale skin.
"Seems like you didn't get any sleep tonight." Caroline huffed, straightening her shoulders. "Been busy?"
"Actually yes I have been." His blue eyes glared at her, glancing at Elena. "I didn't get much sleep."
"What?" Elena crossed her arms over her chest. "Wasn't the bed comfortable?"
She flinched at her own bluntness, her eyes boring into his, daring him to say what she desperately wanted to keep between them. Her heart squeezed together again as she thought about this morning when she had woken up alone, still feeling the after effects from his presence, her skin tingling and warm, her soul and heart complete. Her whole being satisfied.
"We need to talk." His blue eyes bored into hers.
"No." She shook her head and turned around, walking to her desk. "We have absolutely nothing to talk about."
"Lena." He grabbed her arm, making her turn around.
"Nothing happened last night." She lowered her voice so Caroline couldn't hear them. "And thank god for that because I would only regret it now."
"Le..."
"Could you all join me in my office?" Klaus voice interrupted whatever he was going to say.
She nodded at Klaus and pulled her arm out of his grasp, staring daggers at him. He moved out of the way so she could walk past him and enter Klaus's office followed by Caroline and Damon.
Alaric patted Damon's shoulder as he sat down beside him. "Rough night?"
"Rough night?"
She stopped knocking as he pulled the door open. His eyes rolling as he saw who was standing behind it with two coffees in her hand. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.
"What are you doing here?"
"We had an appointment two hours ago." She pushed the hot coffee against his bare chest. "I guess you could say I'm here as your wake up call."
"If I wanted a wake up call I would have asked the hotel for one."
"Get ready." She walked past him, pushing the door further open and walking into the room.
"Elena." He growled. "You can't just walk into my hotel room."
"Didn't stop you from walking into my life, Salvatore."
She paused as she saw the naked girl spread over the bed, her thighs covered with the sheets, her hair knotted together on the pillow, goosebumps on her bare back. For some reason she felt her heart sting in her chest, a weave of jealousy rushing over her.
"I'm…sorry." She stammered and turned back to him. "I didn't realize you had company."
"You didn't give me the time to explain."
"So I guess I'll wait in the hallway." She started walking past him, only to be trapped by his arms.
"Don't be polite now." His hot breath made her skin tingle. "I'm always up for a trio."
"You're disgusting." She pushed her way free out of his grasp. "You can't say such things when your girlfriend is in the bed next to us."
"Girlfriend?" His eyebrow arched, a smirk appearing on his face. "I know you're young but you must have heard about a one-night stand."
"What?" She shook her head in confusion. "You're only going to see her once?"
"Twice gets boring." He shrugged indifferently. "I like to keep life interesting."
"So what are you going to tell her once she wakes up?"
"That's why I'm so glad you're here." He pulled a black shirt over his head. "It means I won't have to face her when she wakes up."
"You're just going to leave her here?" She struggled against him as he started pulling her out of the room. "Don't you have any respect for human beings?"
"I showed her how much respect I had for the human anatomy last night." He waggled his eyebrows. "I'm sure she won't mind."
"Can you be even more disgusting?"
"I can." He pulled the door close and pushed her against it, trapping her body with his. "Do you want me to show you?"
"No, thank you."
Her eyes took in his face, still mesmerized by his beauty. Her brown orbs drowned in the ocean of blue. Her body started tingling as he pushed himself a bit closer, leaving less space between their skins. And as she looked at his devilish smile she couldn't help but chuckle.
"Hello there." He pushed his finger against her lips. "I almost thought I wasn't going to see that smile today."
She parted her lips and bit his finger playfully, making him pull it back. "Good morning to you too, man whore."
"I'm going to punish you for that." He pulled the coffee she had been holding out of her hands. "No coffee for you."
"Give that back." She ran after him as he started running away. "I brought you your own coffee."
"I forgot it in my room." He called over his shoulder, sipping on her coffee. "And you know how I get without coffee."
"Damon." She grabbed his jacket, making him run slower. "Give me the coffee back."
"We'll share." He draped his arm over her shoulder and pulled her against his side.
"I don't want to share." She pouted, wrapping her arms around his waist.
"So much sugar. This is such a girly coffee."
"Last time I checked I was a girl."
"I know. I've seen your boobs once they came out of hiding."
"You asshole." She punched her fists against his shoulder, making him chuckle.
"I've seen a piece of your ass." He waggled his eyebrows. "It wasn't that bad."
"You're impossible!"
She threw her head back with laughter, keeping her fists against his body, her whole mood lightening now it was just the two of them again. She had started savoring these moments where they could hang out as friends, no work, no obligations, away from Klaus and his hawk eyes, and away from all the stress that the wedding brought. He had become her escape, an escape she welcomed with open arms.
"Stop punching me." He threw the coffee in a bin. "That's what you've got your fiance for."
"He isn't into kinky." She jumped on his back, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Not everyone is a sex god like you, Salvatore."
"Is that why you're jumping me?" He chuckled and hooked his arms under her knees. "Isn't Steffie giving you any?"
"He's giving me plenty." She rested her chin on his shoulder. "My feet are just killing me; I had to walk all the way here from work because you didn't show up."
"I'm sorry, I didn't hear the alarm."
"And your companion didn't either?" She glared at the back of his head, feeling a pang of jealousy in her chest. "She isn't the first one, is she?"
"Sometimes a man just needs to get laid." He patted the side of her knee. "I don't have to answer to anyone so why wouldn't I enjoy it?"
"I just don't get how you can do it." Her eyebrows knitted together. "It's something special between two people who love each other and you just do it because you're bored."
"How many men did you have, Elena?" He turned his head to the side. "Stefan is probably your only one, isn't he?"
"That's what makes it so special. He's the only one I share that with."
"But what if you meet someone else? Someone better that sweeps you off your feet." He shook his head. "Are you going to let him walk by because you only want one lover in your life?"
"I'm getting married Damon, I already found my lover."
"I don't think you did." He shrugged. "I think you love him but I don't think he's the one for you."
"You haven't even met him."
"But I've met you." He sighed and balanced her on his back. "And you're not acting crazy enough for him to be the one."
She stared at the side of his face, her eyes scanning the dark hairline, her nose snuggling into his neck, inhaling his smell, drowning in it. For some reason she was surrounded by his scent, it was in her nose all day, not only because he was always around her but even at night when she crawled next to her fiance in bed and snuggled her nose in his chest, flinching because he didn't share the same scent that made her whole body tingle.
"I need coffee." She whined and kicked her legs against his. "We're getting too serious."
"Well, we both had a rough night."
"I know your definition of a rough night."
"I know your definition of a rough night."
"It wasn't that kind of a rough night." Damon rolled his eyes at Alaric. "They paged me in the middle of the night for an emergency; I've been operating for thirteen hours straight."
Her eyes snapped up to meet his as he spoke the words, hearing the reason why he had left her behind in the middle of the night. Memories of five years ago coming back to her, him sneaking out of bed in the middle of the night to save another human life. She remembered those mornings when she would wait in bed until noon because she didn't want to get up without him next to her. When he finally did come back he would crawl back in bed and she would wrap her arms around him, holding him all day while he slept in her embrace.
"Everyone sit down please." Klaus entered the room with his team of lawyers behind him.
She pulled her eyes away from Damon's, feeling her heart ache in her chest while she was studied by all the other eyes in the room. She took a deep breath and felt Caroline squeeze her thigh under the table, trying to give her some kind of comfort.
"Elena." Klaus folded his hands together on the table. "We've discussed this situation and we've come to a decision."
Her heart drummed in her chest, filling the silence in the room. She could be punished for loving a man more than herself. They could ruin her career because she hadn't been strong enough, not faithful enough to resist someone that was made for her. To fight against a body that fitted perfectly in hers, a soul that was the other part of hers.
"We've come to the conclusion that you invaded the investigation and that you had an influence on the outcome of the results through your relationship with Mr. Salvatore who was a key witness in this lawsuit. Thereby our firm sues you for the intern obstruction of an investigation and mixing your interests in Mr. Salvatore into the case for your own benefit."
She stared blankly at Klaus who gave her a polite smile. Her breathing got a lot heavier as she looked around in the room, seeing the smug smirks from all the lawyers around the table. Damon staring at her, his lips parted like he wanted to say something but couldn't find the words.
"I'm afraid I have to ask you to clean your desk and leave the building." Klaus cleared his throat. "As from this day you do no longer work for our firm, Miss Gilbert."
"What?" Damon punched his fist on the table, looking up at Klaus with wide eyes. "You can't fire her because she slept with me."
"Actually I can." Klaus turned to him. "The company's policy is clear, relationships with a client are forbidden. She may have exchanged valuable information with you that influenced your decision."
"All we did was fuck each other's brains out like a couple of bunnies on steroids."
"I'm sorry but our rules are clear, Miss Gilbert agreed to them when she signed her contract." Klaus stood up and walked to the door, giving her one last look. "It was a pleasure to have you with us."
Her head fell in her hands as the sobs came from somewhere deep inside of her. She felt Caroline's arm wrap around her, quietly rocking her in her embrace. Another pair of hands settled on her knees, a forehead resting against them. And as she lifted her head up and opened her eyes she could see the black mess resting against her knees, his face directed to the ground.
"Stop blaming yourself." She wrapped her arms around his shoulder, pushing her face next to his. "We did nothing wrong."
"You were right." His hot breath warmed the side of her face. "I ruined your life."
"No." She sat straight up and pulled his head up, cupping his face between her palms. "Don't you ever think that. You saved me."
"Not without destroying something."
"It was worth it." She stroked his cheek with her thumb, boring her teary eyes in his ocean of blue.
"It's probably best if we stay away from each other during the trial." He let out a hard chuckle. "Before they sue you a second time."
"I won't even have the money to pay for the first one." She buried her face in her hands again. "How am I going to pay for a second one?"
"Don't worry about it." He rubbed her back, his voice low. "I got you in this mess, I'll pay to get you out of it."
"Everyone will know." She looked up at Caroline, not able to look in the blue-eyed man's gaze. "My mom, my dad, everyone who lives in this town will know I'm a cheater."
She felt Damon's hand on her thigh stiffen, his breathing getting heavier into the silent room only filled with her sobs. Her heart ached in her chest as she saw him stand up in the corner of her eye and walk out of the door.
"Everything I had with him will now become the talk of the town." She squeezed Caroline's hand in hers. "Everything I tried so hard to protect..."
"It's okay, Elena." Caroline crouched beside her. "I'll be here for you and Bonnie too, we'll help you through this."
"Bonnie doesn't even know about Damon." Her voice pitched. "I never told her because I knew she would judge me."
"Did you tell your mom?"
"No." She shook her head. "I never told anyone except for you and Stefan. What if they find out about Liam?"
"They won't." She rubbed her arm. "They're just going to investigate what was going on between you and Damon. And once they figure out it was nothing you'll get your job back."
"It was not nothing, Caroline."
"I know that." The blonde sighed. "But you know what I mean."
"I know…I'm sorry." She wiped the tears out of her eyes. "I just want to go home."
"You know what?" Caroline's blue eyes bored into hers. "I'll pack your stuff for you and when we drop Liam off tonight I'll bring it with me."
"Actually." She looked up, swallowing back the lump in her throat. "Could Liam stay with you for one more night?"
"Of course he can." Caroline nodded fiercely. "It's football anyway so he'll probably want to watch with Tyler."
"Thank you." She whispered. "I just… I need to say goodbye."
Her heart beat filled the empty hallway, with the red carpet that stared at her like it still remembered the last time she was here, why she had been here. Her body tingled with nerves that spread all over her body as a young couple stumbled out of the elevator and into their room. She took a deep breath and gathered all her strength, replaying the moments she had with him in her mind, feeling them reflecting all the way to her heart. With a sigh she knocked on the heavy wooden door, flinching when it made more sound than she had anticipated.
Her hands clenched into fists next to her, trying to find strength in her body, trying to radiate it to her heart, knowing it would never want to leave its owner.
The door flew open, the light from inside the room shining into her eyes. His blue eyes widening as he saw who was standing in front of him.
"Hi."
"Hi."
"I just…" She pointed to nowhere before gathering her strength. "So it really was an emergency?"
"It was." He leaned against the door frame, crossing his arms over his bare chest. "You can check at the hospital."
"No." She chuckled and shook her head. "I believe you."
An awkward silence fell between them as he nodded his head and she kept her gaze on him. Picturing the life she would have had if he hadn't made that one stupid mistake. She would probably be standing next to him now, her arms around him, their souls still entangled like they used to be. Liam would be playing with his toys, calling for his daddy to come play with him. She would watch them and everything would be perfect, her body would be satisfied, her soul would be complete and her heart would be home.
"I would have woken up next to you." His blue eyes were soft, radiating warmth into hers. "If they hadn't called me."
"Stefan came home this morning." She swallowed back the lump in her throat. "So maybe it was best you weren't there."
"I can't believe you're still with him." He huffed, shaking his head slowly. "And that you have a son together."
"What did you think I would do after you betrayed me?" She crossed her arms over her chest. "That I would wait for you until you begged me to take you back. I wouldn't have done it Damon, what you did..."
"I know." He bit his lip, looking down at the ground. "I just hoped you would have left him and stood on your own two feet…been a lawyer by now."
"We both know I won't pass the bar."
"You can't pass it if you don't try."
He shook his head, his whole body stiff with the anger he was holding back. Her breath got heavier again, more frantically trying to reach for oxygen while his hands balled into fists on his sides.
"What happened to all your dreams, Elena?" He spat at her. "You had so many of them but you're still here in this godforsaken town."
"I was going to live them with you." Her eyes filled up with tears. "My dreams disappeared together with you."
His face softened, the features becoming more familiar again. The dreams she once had rushing through her mind. The places they would visit, the things they would do, the adventures they would experience. Her life would become what she always wanted, the job she always wanted. He would help her study for the bar, drive her there, wait for her to pass and take her in his arms when she walked out of the room with a huge smile on her face. But those dreams had died long ago, the bitter taste of them still lingering in the strings of her heart.
"I'm sorry." His eyes filled with remorse. "I just thought..."
"You thought I would travel through Europe without you?" Her voice pitched. "That was our dream, not just mine."
"You were the one who left, Elena." He swallowed back the lump in his throat. "You were the one who gave up on those dreams."
"You made me leave." She whispered. "You didn't ruin my life but you ruined us."
"Lena..."
"Do you never wonder how we could be now?" She looked up at him, the tears rolling over her cheeks. "Because I do, every day. Every morning I wake up and look at the man beside me and I wonder why I'm still there. Why I'm not with you and why I don't live that life with you."
"Then come back." His blue eyes went wide open. "We can be us again."
"No." She shouted. "I don't trust you anymore."
"And I'm supposed to trust the woman who cheated on her husband?"
"I did it because of you, you idiot."
She punched her fists against his bare chest, trying to punch all her anger inside of him, making him feel how much he had hurt her. Making him realize that this was what she was going through every day, like there were fists punching her heart to keep it aching for him.
"Because I loved you."
Her body fell limp in his arms, his strong arms wrapping around her tiny frame, her fists giving up the fight and melting against his warm skin. Her whole body seemed to calm down once she felt his touch again, the familiar skin pushing against hers, bringing her home again.
"I loved you so much."
"It's okay." He placed a kiss against her forehead. "You're okay."
She buried her face in his chest, sobs coming out of her throat. She let out a gasp as he put his hands under her bottom and picked her up, carrying her into the room. With a light thud he placed her on the bed, pushing the sheets back so she could crawl under them.
"Don't leave." She pulled on his arm as he tried to get away from the bed.
"I won't leave." He crouched down next to her. "I'm just getting you something to sleep in."
"I don't need anything." She sat up and started removing her clothes, gazing at him. "I like it better when your skin's against mine."
"Okay."
He turned off the light and walked to the other side of the bed, crawling under the sheets. She turned on her side and waited for him to scoot closer until she was wrapped in his arms. Her breasts pressed against his chest, her legs entangled with his, her cheek resting against his shoulder, her heart beating against the other one.
"I missed you for so long." He pressed a kiss against her forehead. "And then this one day I realized you weren't coming back."
"You know what I thought when Caroline called me to tell me that you came back?" She let out a sad laugh. "I thought you came back for me."
"I did."
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