"Stripped"
Chapter 2: Broken
Stupid Witch. Damon thought to himself as he tried to look into the house, but all the blinds were closed.
"You are dead," Damon mumbled.
"She pulled one over on you," Caroline said, smirking.
She and all the others had arrived at Bella's house.
"She won this round, but the match is far from over," Damon replied while glaring.
"What's going on in there?" Stefan asked.
"I don't know," Damon replied, "I can't hear anything."
"I'm gonna have to have her show me that spell," Bonnie said absentmindedly.
"Barbie, go inside and bring Elena out," Damon demanded.
"Bite me," Caroline snapped.
"Already been there, done that…not something I want to revisit." Damon replied, "Jeremy, Matt, Bonnie you three go in. Bonnie you incapacitate her and you two drag Elena out."
"Damon even if I wanted to go in there I'm not stupid enough to do it. I'm nowhere near as powerful as Bella." Bonnie replied.
"I'm only human," Matt added.
"Jeremy," Damon said, patting him on the back, "You don't want your big sister to die do you?"
"If it's what Elena wants then I'm not going to stop her," Jeremy said sadly.
"You've got to be kidding me," Damon said, "All of you claim to care about her yet you are just going let her go."
"It's because we care about her," Bella said, standing at the front door. "Something I don't think you know how to do."
"Bella," Jeremy said shocked, "You're bleeding."
"Guess I am," Bella said; her cold eyes still locked with Damon's.
"Did she…?" Jeremy trailed.
"She made that decision on her own," Bella answered, "No one forced her….SHE chose this."
"Well then, now she can come home," Damon said, walking up to Bella, "Let me heal that for you."
"I don't need or want your help," Bella said, stepping back.
Elena walked out the door and placed her hand on Bella's shoulder.
"Thank you," Elena said.
"What are friends for," Bella said, "At least you and most of the people here can appreciate a good friend."
"Bella are you back for good?" Bonnie asked.
"Yeah I am," Bella said, "If you all will excuse me, I have some unpacking to do."
"We could help," Caroline suggested.
"No," Bella said, "I think I just want to be alone, but I'll see you guys tomorrow."
Bella turned her back and walked in the house, shutting the door behind her.
"You okay?" Damon asked.
Elena glared at him then punched him, causing him to fly into the front yard.
"You are such a dick Damon," Elena said, "Of all the people who would understand not wanting to be turned I would think it would be you. Also on a side note, all the shit you put Bella through, you're a dick for that too."
"What did I do to her?" Damon asked, standing up.
"You didn't listen to her." Elena said, walking down the front steps, "You never did. She always was there; she was one of your closest friends and once that bitch Katherine came back, you casted her aside like trash. Still though she tried to help you…tried to get you to see the truth, but you were so blind you refused to listen and in the end Damon, you lost Bella."
"People come and go, it's not important, you'll learn that," Damon replied.
"Not someone like Bella," Elena replied, "People like her are rare, they teach us important lessons, and they are not easily forgotten. I saw it Damon…I saw the look you had when you first saw her; you were relieved she's back. The question is Damon, will she forgive you? Hell the question is are you even worthy of her forgiveness?"
Elena walked away, followed by the others, while Damon just stood in the front yard staring at the house where inside one of the few people that knew him best was.
.*.*.*.*.*.
"Hey Bella," Charlie answered, "How's the house kiddo?"
"Good," Bella said, "Needs a good cleaning, but so far so good. Sorry I didn't call as soon as I got here. I ran into Caroline and Elena and well you know how we get."
"Oh I remember," Charlie chuckled, "You girls get lost in your own little world sometimes."
"How was your first night without a home cooked meal?" Bella asked; the guilt evident in her voice.
"Now don't you do that Bella," Charlie said, "I fended for myself for quite a few years I can do it again. Don't you feel guilty about leaving me here; you do what's best for you."
"Okay dad," Bella replied.
They talked for a few more minutes until Bella saw the time.
"You take care Bella and don't you hesitate to call me. I'm sending your school transcripts over tomorrow." Charlie said.
"Okay dad, thank you again," Bella said, "I love you."
"Love you too Bells." Charlie said.
They hung up and Bella sighed. All the time she had been inside she knew Damon was outside on the front lawn. Bella blew out the candle that was lit and sighed.
"Go away Damon," Bella said.
Suddenly her home phone rang, but she ignored it until it started recording a message; "Not leaving until you come talk to me." Damon said, talking on the machine.
"That's not gonna happen," Bella replied, walking into the kitchen.
"Oh come on, you know I'm irresistible." Damon replied; Bella could hear the smirk in his voice.
"You are so full of yourself," Bella said. "I don't want to talk to you."
"Oh come on, everyone wants to talk to me." Damon said before the answering machine cut him off.
Bella smiled, but it was short lived as the phone started ringing again and then the machine picked up.
"You didn't think you were going to win this round did you? Now I can do this all night calling you or you can come talk to me." Damon said.
"How about we do this," Bella said and yanked the phone cord off the hook, "Go home Damon."
Suddenly her front door was being banged on.
"Come on Bella," Damon's muffled voice said on the other side of the door, "Talk to me."
"Go to hell," Bella replied and started turning off lights, "Bang all you want to Damon, but I'm going to bed."
.*.*.*.*.*.
About three hours later Bella was woken up by loud music playing outside her window. She got out of bed and looked out to see Damon outside, holding up a portable CD boom box over his head as the song I think we're alone now redo by Birthday Massacre played.
Bella opened her window and leaned out.
"What the fuck are you doing?" Bella asked annoyed, "I have neighbors Damon, Liz is going to get here and she's gonna be pissed."
"Your neighbors don't mind," Damon yelled over the music, wiggling his eyebrows, "Talk to me."
"This is stalking and harassment," Bella yelled back, "I'm gonna enjoy it when I see Liz slap those cuffs on you."
"I always knew you were kinky," Damon replied. "Oh come on, you always said you wanted something like this to happen from that movie."
"The movie was Say Anything and the song playing was In Your Eyes by Peter Gabriel, not this." Bella countered.
"Hey that song had meaning to them while this song has meaning to us…first time we danced was to this song." Damon replied.
"Go home Damon," Bella said.
"You're gonna break Swan," Damon yelled.
"I don't break for anyone," Bella said and tried to shut her window, but it wouldn't budge.
"I could help you if you let me in," Damon said, turning off the stereo.
"It will be a cold day in hell before I take help from you," Bella snapped and pushed hard, but still the window wouldn't budge.
Bella started shaking the window to try to loosen it before she started to push down with all her weight. The window had loosen and ended up slamming down causing Bella's hand to slip and go through the window.
Bella screamed as she pulled her hand back into the house, slicing it up some more.
"Bella," Damon said, seeing what happened and climbing the tree next to her window, "Invite me in."
"Go to hell," Bella said angrily and walked away carefully so she wouldn't step on any glass.
Immediately she started to gag smelling the blood. Earlier it hadn't been so bad to see or smell blood, but that was because she was angry and a little drunk. This time it was different; she started to get light headed and wobbly.
"Bella invite me in damn it or you're going to bleed to death." Damon yelled angrily, "Quit being stubborn."
"You quit being an ass and I'll think about it," Bella retorted as she grabbed her car keys.
She heard Damon talking on the phone and took this as her opportunity to make her escape. She walked quietly out the front door, got into her car, and drove to the E.R.
.*.*.*.*.*.
"What?" Caroline asked annoyed.
"Bella's being stubborn, she slashed up her hand and I can't get in. Obviously you can so get over here now before she bleeds to death," Damon said.
"Shit," Caroline said, "I'm on my way."
Damon hung up and that's when he noticed Bella wasn't in the house. He jumped down, ran around to the front and saw that her car was gone.
"You damn fool," Damon growled.
"Where is she?" Caroline asked appearing out of the shadows.
"She's already gone," Damon said, "She drove herself to the E.R."
"You really pissed her off," Caroline said.
"She's the one being stubborn." Damon argued.
"Well you can't blame her, you treated her like shit. I would rather die than get help from you." Caroline hissed.
"I'll remember that the next time your boyfriend tries to bite you," Damon growled and started running to the hospital.
.*.*.*.*.*.
"Well my dad did warn me I was going to see you more," Meredith said walking in. "What did you do this time?"
"Pushed too hard on a window and then my hand went through it." Bella grumbled.
Meredith unwrapped the towel and Bella looked away, "You're going to need stitches."
"Big surprise," Bella replied.
"Why didn't you call 911?" Meredith asked, disappointed.
"Because Damon is the reason my arm is like this. He would have just compelled them to forget and healed me with his blood." Bella said angrily. "I don't want any help from him."
"You should have let him," Meredith replied quietly, "You wouldn't have an ugly scar."
"Every scar tells a story and it's a reminder." Bella countered.
"I'll get the kit prepped." Meredith said and walked out of the room.
Bella was still looking away when she heard the door open.
"Go away," Bella said, not looking at who entered.
"Friends don't treat friends like that," Damon said disapprovingly.
"We aren't friends," Bella said; her voice strained.
"Now you're lying," Damon said, walking over to her, "We both know that. Why won't you talk to me?"
"If you have to ask that question you're even more of a dumbass than I thought," Bella replied, finally looking at him.
"A-ha I got you to finally look at me," Damon said smiling then he took her arm in his hands, "Let me heal you."
Bella yanked her arm away, "No," she said.
"You're like a child," Damon said, his eyes turning dark. "Stop being stubborn."
"No," Bella replied and stuck out her tongue.
Damon smiled, "You're so cute when you do that,"
"Stop it," Bella said standing up, but she had lost too much blood and started to faint.
Damon caught her and laid her back up on the gurney, "I got you, I'll never let you fall Isa," Damon said.
"Don't call me that," Bella said softly before she fell into darkness.
.*.*.*.*.*.
Bella woke up the next morning and stretched, only to find herself hooked up to IV's and monitors.
"Easy," Meredith said while placing her hand on Bella's shoulder, "You passed out…Damon insisted we check you over."
"As if he cares," Bella replied, laying back.
"He does," Meredith replied. "It was probably better you passed out. We had to pick out smaller shards that were embedded. You were lucky it didn't knick the veins."
"Can I go home if I promise to obey doctor's orders?" Bella asked.
"You swear?" Meredith asked and Bella nodded. "I think you can. Just no heavy lifting with that arm, definitely no driving, and come back to see me in a few days to make sure everything is healing alright. Accept help when it's offered to you Bella…doctor's orders."
.*.*.*.*.*.
An hour later Bella was walking out the front door of the hospital.
"Need a ride?" Damon asked, sitting on a bench while smiling.
"I have my own car," Bella replied.
"Yeah, but driving is against doctor's orders and accepting help is a requirement of your release." Damon said standing up.
Bella shook her head, "You put Meredith up to this didn't you."
"No," Damon said, "I was eavesdropping. The good doctor's conditions just happen to work in my favor."
Bella sighed while trying to figure out what to do.
"Come on," Damon goaded, "Our drives used to be so much fun."
"Fine," Bella said through clenched teeth, "But don't think for one minute you are off the hook Salvatore."
"You're so sexy when you're angry, have I ever told you that?" Damon asked, wrapping his arm around Bella's shoulders while leading her to the car.
Bella shrugged him off, "Only about a million times and save it Damon, I don't fall for your charm remember."
Damon opened the car door, "Who knows, maybe I'll finally be able to wear you down."
"Only in your dreams," Bella replied while getting in.
Damon bent down with a smirk on his face and a devilish look in his eyes, "Oh you've been in my dreams Swan…in some very compromising positions."
Damon shut the door and started walking over to the driver's side.
"I'm already regretting this," Bella said as she tried to open her door, but couldn't.
"Oh sorry, that door can only be opened from the outside…the handle is broken." Damon said while starting up his Camaro.
"Thought you loved this car," Bella said.
"I do, but sometimes shit breaks." Damon said.
"Perfect timing too." Bella added angry.
"The universe works in mysterious ways…you taught me that." Damon said and they sped out of the parking lot.
They rode in silence for a while until Bella couldn't take it anymore and punched Damon in the arm.
"Ouch," Damon said, rubbing his arm, "You aren't supposed to hit with your right arm."
"Wasn't my right," Bella retorted.
"I don't remember you hitting that hard." Damon said.
"And I don't remember you caring about me like you apparently do," Bella snapped, "You have some nerve Damon to think things are just going to go back the way they once were."
"Why can't they?" Damon asked.
"I don't know, let me think," Bella said as she started tapping her chin before she snapped her fingers, "I know why. It's because you became an argumentative asshole who didn't want to listen to me when I was trying to get you to see what was going on. If I remember correctly you said and I quote, 'Stay out of this Bella, it's none of your business. I don't need your help or advice on anything, in fact it would be better if you just left and I never saw you again.' End quote." Bella said and sat back in her seat.
"Come on," Damon said, "You know I didn't mean any of those things."
"Really," Bella said, "Do you remember what happened after that?"
Damon was quiet as he thought back to that night.
.*.*.*.*.*.
One Year Ago – Salvatore Boarding House:
"Damon," Bella said, grabbing his arm, "Katherine is playing a game with you, can't you see that?"
"Shut up," Damon said, "She knows something."
"Even if she does she isn't going to say anything." Bella countered. "Damon I'm your friend and I'm just trying to protect you."
"How can you protect me? You're just merely human now without your powers you aren't any help to anyone. Stay out of this Bella, it's none of your business. I don't need your help or advice on anything, in fact, it would be better if you just left and I never saw you again." Damon replied while pouring himself a drink, "I'm going to the party; be a good girl and just go home."
"You are such an ass," Bella said grabbing his arm and then slapping him, "You can't see what's right in front of you. Katherine doesn't care for you Damon, she never did. She told you that and yet you think since you can't have Elena and Stefan doesn't want her then maybe Katherine will take you back. She won't Damon and if she did, it's for her own selfish reasons."
"Shut up," Damon growled.
"NO," Bella said, "You can't see the truth or maybe you don't want to because deep down you believe you aren't worthy of either Katherine or Elena. Well guess what, maybe it's true, I mean hell you've done nothing but attack and hurt the people around you since that bitch came back. Look what you did to Jeremy after Elena said she didn't want you. Maybe you are just a monster."
"SHUT UP!" Damon roared and attacked Bella plunging his fangs into her neck before he threw her over to the couch, "Now you can really say I'm a monster. When I get back I want you gone."
Damon walked out the front door leaving Bella bleeding on the couch.
.*.*.*.*.*.
Present Day:
"I didn't mean for that to happen," Damon said quietly.
"Whatever," Bella said as they pulled up to the house. "It happened and there's no changing it."
"Bells please, let's just talk," Damon said while putting the car in park.
"No," Bella said before she used to open her car door, "I'm done talking to you Damon. I've been done for a year. You betrayed my trust; you swore you would never feed on me and yet you did."
Damon got out as well as Bella walked to the front door, "I was angry and you know my emotions are magnified."
"Yeah but you know what Damon, I thought maybe our friendship was stronger than that…obviously I was wrong. Thanks for the ride." Bella said and opened her front door.
"Bella please," Damon said.
Bella just slammed the door in his face before she walked into the living room, lit the candle from the night before said a few words before she started to cry.
A/N: Hey everyone! I am so glad with all the positive feedback on this story. Thank you to everyone that has added this story to your favorites and your alerts.
Thanks to my beta Dark~Supernatural~Angel.
I guess review you guys. Exactly one week from today I start classes again. Hopefully I'll be able to keep up the once a week updates, but don't be upset if they're a little late.
Review you guys. I am doing my best to answer each review and when I answer them I like to send a little teaser of the next chapter. See you guys soon!