I felt my face burn with embarrassment. Everyone was till staring at me. I looked up in time to see Rose notice Damon was gone from her side. Her brows creased in question and she returned her focus to me. Suddenly Stefan was kneeling in front of me.
"Elena, what's wrong? What did you see?" He asked with urgency.
"I- I remember telling Elijah where the moonstone is." I said...my voice shaking, still on the verge of tears. Everyone's shoulders fell with the news.
"Great, they know exactly where to look." Rose said in growing frustration.
"I'm sorry." I whispered.
"No..no don't be Elena..it wasn't your fault." Stefan said tenderly. "Is that all you remember?" He asked.
I looked up again at Rose for a moment. She looked tensed and wide eyed but afraid to hear what else I had to say.
"No." I said shaking my head. "No that's all." I lied.
I let the reality beyond my words come crashing in. Damon loved me. He was in love with me. All this time I thought he chased out of competition with Stefan, to prove a point. I thought is because I looked like Katherine. But the look on his face, the way his voice shook, the sincerity in his words. The selflessness of it all...it would haunt me now, and I knew it.
"Alright, well given the new information..first thing tomorrow we should negotiate the release of the moonstone from Katherine." Rose said.
"But how?" Stefan said seemingly deep in thought and to himself.
"I'll talk to Damon, he usually has brilliant ideas on how to con people out of what they want." Rose smiled lightly.
I felt a twist in my stomach at the mention of Damon. But then I remembered my own negotiation with Katherine and suddenly I knew I had to get blood to Katherine. Tonight.
We all made our way outside to the cars parked in the drive.
"I'm going to ride with Jeremy." Bonnie told Luka. I watched them get into the car and drive off. I got into my own car and pulled out running the picture of Damon's confession play over and over in my mind.
Jeremy & Bonnie
Jeremy pulled into Bonnie's driveway and got out with her, walking her to the front steps.
"I'm sorry." Bonnie said.
"For what?" Jeremy asked.
"The spell, I know it dug up some awful memories." Bonnie spoke softly.
Jeremy shrugged. "I'll get by...like I always have." Jeremy explained.
Bonnie placed a hand on Jeremy's shoulder. "You know I'm here for you." Bonnie said looking at Jeremy deeply. Jeremy smiled lightly holding onto her gaze. Then he leaned down and kissed Bonnie.
"Whoa!" She said jumping back.
Jeremy looked startled.
"What?"
"Jeremy, I'm sorry...I just."
"Just what? What is it? Is it because you still think I'm a kid? Because I'm Elena's little brother?"
"No...well...kind of. It's just crazy Jeremy. I've known you for so long." Bonnie laughed nervously.
"That's true...but it doesn't really feel wrong..does it?" Jeremy asked.
Bonnie gazed at him for several seconds. "I just need time to think Jeremy." Bonnie finally said.
He nodded. "Okay." He turned and walked quickly to the car, Bonnie watching him as he left.
TYLER
Tyler walked into Mason's room from when he was staying at the house. He leaned on the doorway looking out into the room. He thought through the reasons why Mason would just leave suddenly. It hadn't made much sense to him. He felt angry that he would leave in such a desperate time. Now he was going through this change and he needed Mason's help more than ever before. Although Caroline was helping a lot these days. He thought about the honey blond of her hair. The way she made things feel more simple and safe when they really weren't. He smiled. A vampire and a werewolf. He thought.
Then he noticed the closet door slightly askew in the room and made his way over to it. He opened it up and a pile of Mason's things came tumbling out. He still hadn't gotten his things sent back to him. That was way to strange. He kneeled down looking through Mason's cloths. Tennis rackets, and an old duffel bag laying nearby. He pulled the bag closer to him and unzipped it. Inside there were ropes and chains. He frowned in confusion. He began pushing things around inside of the bag and noticed an old book. The binding was loose and a few pages were trying to spill out. He flipped it open revealing a variety of things. From old print right on the pages, to newspaper clippings and scribbled hand written notes inside. He sat all the way down and began reading. He read about the history of the werewolves. He stopped when he saw that there was a rich history of Vampire's especially in Mystic Falls. He then came across names that were very familiar on one of the handwritten notes. It was dated recently.
The Salvatore brothers are very much alive...if that's what you call it. Katherine is bent on getting the moonstone from me. I wonder if it has to do with the brothers, or maybe even Elena Gilbert. She never is clear with me on exactly what her plan is, but whatever it is..she's determined. I've always been dedicated to protecting everyone from myself on the night of a full moon, but I'm having second thoughts with Damon Salvatore. He's one of the worst vampires I've crossed paths with and it would be a good riddance to take care of him, especially before he gets me.
Tyler slammed the book closed. He had seen enough to know that either Caroline didn't know what was going on, or she had been hiding a lot. He was suddenly aware that Damon was probably the cause of Mason's sudden disappearance. If that was the case, Damon Salvatore would pay. He would pay dearly.
ELENA
I sat on the edge of my bed, twisting the vervain pendant between my fingers in nervousness. I was trying so hard to think my plan through for tonight but it was like trying to see through bad reception on a television. The thought of Damon kept filtering down and mixing with my concentration. I couldn't stop thinking that maybe I had always been too hard on Damon. That if he had felt that way all along then how could it have made him feel to have me be so cold to him all of the time. The biggest memory that kept flashing in my mind was the evening on the Lockwood's porch when I told him I was surprised that he thought I would kiss him back.
Now I'm hurt. I remembered him saying.
A saddened twist hit my stomach. I never found it easy to wave off Damon. I love Stefan and that was a fact...but Damon always had a place with me. But it was a place I couldn't find the room for. A misshapen puzzle piece. But now it seemed as if something had shifted and things had fallen into place. A split in half...place.
I glanced at the clock. It read 1:00 am. It was time for me to go. I took a deep breath and made my way to the window. I knew Jenna was downstairs deep in a novel so I couldn't sneak out of the front door. I slid my window up quietly and looked out into the night. I was going to have to jump into the tree at my window and make my way down from there. Easier said then done. I crawled out onto the overhang outside of the window and turned closing it back. I got on the very edge of the roof and without thinking twice, dived for the tree. My arms burned as I grasped onto a limb and held on tightly struggling to get my footing on the branch. When I finally did I exhaled in relief. I climbed down slowly. Suddenly I slipped and fell from the tree closer to the bottom. On my way down a piece of the wood caught my arm and it wasn't long before I felt the warm trickle of blood begin to pour. I stood holding arm looking up at the tree I had just tumbled out of. There was no turning back now.
I pushed my car out of the driveway in neutral the good old fashioned way. The way I used to do it when my parents were still alive and I wanted to go to Bonnie's house all hours of the night. I smiled thinking back to my old high school days when I was more of a party girl, the popular one. Then I thought about what I was doing and realized how much my life had truly changed forever. Once I got it out of the driveway I got in and quickly cranked it and drove off towards the boarding house. Unfortunately, this was only the beginning of my sneaking around.
I parked a little down from the boarding house and made my way across the lawn trying my best to stay in the shadows. Sneaking around vampires wasn't going to be easy. I saw Stefan's bedroom light on, but luckily Damon's car wasn't in the drive so I hoped that was going to better my chances of getting by without getting caught.
I got up to the edge of the house and found a small rectangular window that led to the basement, which was exactly where I needed to be. I slowly raised the window enough for me to be able to crawl inside. I slid my way in and quietly got to my feet on the basement floor. I tiptoed to the fridge in the corner and opened it, revealing many bags of crimson laying in the bottom. I reached down and grabbed as many as I could and spread the others around to make it look like there wasn't much missing. I held them close to me, trying to imagine they were anything but blood. I tossed them out one by one onto the ground below the window. Then I slowly climbed back through. Once I shut the window and began gathering the bags I heard a sound coming from inside and the door open to the room I was just in. The light switched on and I ducked as low as I could. It was Damon! I looked behind me and saw the back end of his car was parked in the drive now. I looked back and watched him walk in. He took off his jacket and tossed it onto a chair near the door. I suddenly couldn't help but to drink in the dark features of his face, his hair hanging around his eyes. The soft, lean planes of his chest under his shirt. I squeezed my eyes shut and chased it away. I opened them again to see him smiling in the direction towards the door as Rose came walking in. He opened the fridge, took out a couple of bags and laid then on the top as Rose came and grabbed him around the waist. She looked up into his eyes adoringly. Then he leaned in and kissed her. I felt my face burn...but I wasn't sure with what. I just felt the heat rising by the second. She began to move her hands under his shirt and across his stomach and I had to look away. I finally realized I had to get out of there. I obviously couldn't wait for them to leave the room because Rose was holding them up.
I turned, staying crouched down and made my way back to my car, luckily parked on the opposite side then where Damon had driven in.
I made it back out into the woods and had the bags, and a rope over my arm. I finally made it out to the tombs as my heart began to accelerate. I swung the rope around an old tree stump and began to tie. I kept getting flashes of Damon and Rose kissing, sending my stomach sinking. I tightened it and took a deep breath. I tugged on the rope a few times to make sure it would stay put. I walked to the edge of the whole and looked down into the darkness. I shivered as true fear shot through me. I was undoubtedly afraid of Katherine. I suddenly felt very alone. I grasped the rope in my hands and began to climb down into the opening. I started off doing okay but then I slipped and a jagged rock sliced into my chest over my ribs. I didn't have to look down to know it had cut me deeply. I could feel it running down my torso and dripping onto the tomb floor below. I released the rope in hopelessness and pain and began to fall. I suddenly realized that I was probably going to die, right there in Katherine's view.
But then as I began to fall, I heard a strange disturbance in the air and suddenly there were arms wrapped around me. We landed with a soft thud on the ground. Suddenly the arms that were braced around me, grabbed my shoulders and spun me around. I was met with Damon's face.
"What do you think your doing!" He shook me desperately, his eyes wide with fury.
"I'm...I'm sorry."Was all I could say. I was mixed up with the safety and comfort that had come with Damon and the sudden fear of the look in his eyes. But the fury in his eyes diminished when he saw the tears forming in mine.
"What were you thinking?" He asked softly. I was speechless. I remembered the bag over my shoulder and I jerked it off ignoring the searing pain in my ribs.
I opened the bag as Damon watched me in confusion. I snatched the bags out and took off to the open door where Katherine was.
"Elena don't!" Damon protested. I tossed the bags in before he could stop me. I heard Katherine moving towards them.
" I had to Damon." I said weakly feeling unconsciousness playing with my vision. I was losing a lot of blood. I suddenly sensed Damon tense up and looked over at him. He had just noticed the blood soaking my shirt. His eyes grew with horror as he saw it and his eyes traced down my body mixed with fear and hunger. He then looked down at his own shirt that my blood had stained and his arms, glistening in it. He took a step towards me but his face grew dark with hunger taking on the look of a true vampire. Just as I thought he was about to attack me he turned towards the tomb wall, his body trembling, fighting the hunger. He pressed his fist into the wall and lowered his head.
I looked over and saw Katherine smiling, the bag gripped tightly in her hands.
"Do it Damon, I'm sure she tastes wonderful." She purred.
He punched the wall with his fists. "Go to hell Katherine." He growled. He turned suddenly in a blur. I took one step back in fear but before I knew it he grabbed a hold of me and I felt the familiar air wash across my face as we went hurling towards the ground above.
Once we were out in the open air he laid me down and instantly walked off turning his back to me as he tried to get the scent out of his mind. I watched him stand there, taking in slow inhales. When he finally turned back his face had gone back to normal.
"I'm sorry." He said quietly. He came over kneeled down over me. He bit down hard on his own wrist and pressed it to my mouth. I turned my head to the side to weak to struggle but I tried anyway.
"Elena, please. Your losing a lot...of blood." He said. He lifted up my shirt looking at the gaping wound and he cringed. He reached out and touched it and pulled back his fingers now dripping with blood. I saw the traces of darkness coming back."This will heal you much quicker, otherwise I'm taking you to the hospital." He snapped. I looked up at him expecting anger but instead it was a look of pleading and desperation. So I took his wrist and drank.
After I had he pulled back and raked his fingers through his hair in somewhat relief. I felt his hand slide up my shirt again running his fingers over the wound that was already closing up. I felt a thrill run through me at his touch.
"Damon?" I said weakly.
"Yeah?" He said quietly looking deeply into my eyes.
"Why did you make me forget?" I asked, not believing I had the nerve to do it.
His blue eyes seemed to grow deeper and he looked away without answering.
"Damon, please." I said sitting up. I drew my face closer to his, making him look at me.
"It wasn't fair for me to do it. To even say it. I just needed to say it once...so I could..let go." He said. His eyes danced intently over mine. Afraid of what I would say.
I was overtaken by a sadness...by the words...Let Go...
"So do you? Love me?" I asked.
He face became drawn like he would cry...but he didn't. He just sighed.
"Yes...I do." He said.
Then as if the world were slowly falling away around us I began to lean in to kiss him. My heart set on hyper speed as my lips touched his.
"Damon?" I heard Rose sound out of nowhere. We both jerked back and looked at Rose standing there awkwardly.
Damon reached under me and picked me up. Without any further explanation he said
"Will you help me get her home?"
She eyes us both suspiciously, and then a trace of sadness washed it away.
"Yes, let's go." She said.
Once we made it back to the house Damon began helping me out of the car.
"I'll, um...wait here." Rose said uncomfortably. Damon picked up and sprinted across the lawn and we launched up to my bedroom window. He opened it and helped me get inside.
I went and sat down on the bed.
"Okay...try to stay out of the grim reapers way for the rest of the night Elena." Damon said distantly. He looked to the floor and then turned back towards the window.
"Damon." I said stopping him before he left.
He paused and then turned back to me.
"Mmhmm?"
"Please don't tell anyone what I did. Giving Katherine blood." I asked.
"Fine...but we will be discussing that later." He said in a lectured tone raising his brow.
I nodded. He turned to leave again.
"Damon." I said again feeling stupid.
This time he stood at the window but never turned to face me.
"Yes?" He asked quietly.
"I'm sorry." I said not knowing what it was supposed to mean.
"Look Elena." He began still facing the window. "I'm sorry I compelled you. I swore I never would...but I needed to say it and it was the right thing to make you forget. I'm sorry I've tormented you. My brother loves you and you don't have to worry about me anymore. I'll leave you alone." He said.
"But Damon." I pleaded, feeling so sorry for all the pain he had been in.
He turned to me suddenly. His eyes flared with tears. "You don't have to worry about me. You know me Elena." He tried to smile. "I'll be fine...I always am." he said. He turned back towards the window. I saw him touch his face, to get rid of the tears. "Goodnight." He said. Then he was gone.
Thank you so much for the reviews...I definitely felt like I should continue with it lol Reviews definitely push me along to write because it reminds me that you guys are actually reading. Let me know what you think and thanks for reading. Reviews!
