A/N: longest chapter of Broken yet! Sorry it took so long in the making- my heart broke *alert- bad pun* when reviewers started demanding faster updates- i just was having a hard time with my muse. But i think it has returned! At least for the time being, lol. Hopefully this chapter was worth the wait- and to the reviewer who once said they liked angry elena, it's your lucky day. *winks* much love & thanks to whomever reads/reviews :D
Elena and Damon walked into the boardinghouse to see Alaric and Stefan gearing up, Alaric's wide array of weapons spread out across the living room coffee table. Stefan looked up at Elena in surprise at her presence, and swiftly walked to her side.
"Why, Teacher, what shiny toys you have," Damon purred sarcastically, clapping his hands together as he eyed Alaric's nifty vervain shots and made his way to the bar. If he was going to watch Elena and Stefan sort out their lover's spat by whispering nauseatingly into each other's ears, find the ex-love of his life, and then kill her…well, he was going to need a drink. Simple as that.
"All the better to kill you with, Salvatore," Alaric replied blithely, not looking up.
Damon's heart reached out to his chest, faking hurt feelings.
"Oww. I thought we were over that phase in our relationship, Ric. Don't tell me you're abusive. Or maybe you're just kinky." Damon winked before throwing back a shot.
Alaric rolled his eyes; over time he'd become desensitized to Damon's wildly inappropriate sarcasm. He just kept along with his task, but Elena didn't want to hear it.
"Can you seriously be joking at a time like this?" Her voice held that self-righteous tone that Damon had at first been amused by, but which now made him feel ashamed, and her eyes were burning with the same intensity as the lit fire behind him.
If looks could kill, it's a good thing I'm already dead, Damon mused.
"Relax, Elena. We're going to get this done. No need to go on a rant. Just talk it out with your boyfriend, 'kay?"
And without another word, Damon was gone- presumably to find more weapons. Elena couldn't respond to th empty air, and she hadn't known what to say to that, anyways. So she allowed herself to be directed out of the living room, and before she could really process anything, she was standing with Stefan in his bedroom.
"Elena…I'm so sorry. For everything," Stefan said quietly, his eyes doing the angst-ridden, smoldering-guilt thing they were so good at. A part of Elena melted at it.
"There's no need to apologize, Stefan. I was the one who was wrong," Elena said, wrapping her arms around Stefan's neck, and allowing herself to be reassured. But she couldn't help but wonder, as Stefan's arms tightened around her, about Damon.
She should probably be accustomed to his mood swings, but after everything that had happened in the past twenty-four hours, she hadn't expected him to completely close off to her. How cold he had been just moments ago… I told him to stop pretending like he doesn't care. I know he cares. I know it. And then something even more pressing popped into her mind, and she couldn't believe she'd forgotten. She blamed it on exhaustion.
"Stefan," Elena began. Pulling back slightly to look at his face. "Damon told me you guys know who this was. The vampire…that killed my uncle. But that I should ask you. What's going on?"
Stefan sighed, letting go of Elena and crossing his room to sit on his bed.
"We do…and I should have told you earlier. It's Katherine. She's back."
Elena's eyes opened wide in shock, not sure if she'd heard him right.
"Katherine? She's back…back, why? For Damon? Why would she- why kill- oh, my God."
Elena sat down next to Stefan, grateful for the support the bed gave her. She didn't know if her own legs could support her anymore. She ran her fingers through her hair as she often did when she was stressed out, and she could feel Stefan's arm slide around her lower back.
"Damon told me that Katherine was the one orchestrating all of this- the Founder's Day plan- with Isobel. And, by association, John. For whatever reason, she wanted all the tomb vampires dead. Out of the picture. I guess since they were as old as her and us, they may have posed a threat…but we don't know for sure what her motivations were. And apparently, she wanted John out of the picture, too. He either angered her somehow- or-"
"Or what?" Elena interrupted. Stefan swallowed.
"Or he just wasn't of any use to her, anymore."
Elena couldn't believe her ears. "Wasn't any use to her anymore?" Elena screeched. She was so loud that even Mr. Saltzman must have had heard her, all the way from downstairs, and so obviously Damon had too- if he wasn't already listening in to the entire conversation. But she didn't give a damn.
"I knew she was selfish. I knew she wasn't kind. But what kind of a woman is she? What kind of a person kills people because they aren't of use anymore?"
"Not a person. A vampire, Elena. Or are you forgetting that?" Damon asked, strolling into Stefan's room as if he were taking a walk through the park.
Elena turned on him, her anger like a force of power around her, one Damon could almost see, could most definitely feel. Through all of Elena's good qualities, anger somehow seemed to be what made her strongest. That, and love.
"No. I'm not forgetting that, Damon. I just don't understand. Anna never killed anybody. Neither did Pearl, and neither does Stefan. And you- you've changed. So what makes Katherine different?"
Both Damon and Stefan were silent; Stefan with his head hanging in a mixture of shame and guilt; Damon standing defensively in front of her, his face a mask. Unreadable. Elena continued, her mind catching onto something.
"Or more importantly, what isn't different? How could you- the both of you-" Elena paused to indicate Stefan, gesturing with her hands-"Fall in love with her? As humans, how could you fall for someone so….evil?"
Stefan stood up at this, ready to reply to a question he actually had an answer for, even if the answer felt hollow on his tongue.
"I was compelled, Elena. I didn't know what she was or what I was doing. I didn't know until after."
Elena stared at him, really stared at him, feeling for the veracity in his words.
Damon rolled his eyes; of course Stefan would blame compulsion. And of course Elena would believe him. It was a better option than letting her know the real truth- that deep inside, Stefan had had real feelings. And while he didn't rat his brother out just yet, he also couldn't lie to Elena. He wouldn't take the easy way out just to dissuade her disgust in him, however much it broke his heart.
"And you?" Elena asked, her eyes now pouring into Damon's.
So like Katherine's, he thought to himself wistfully. And so very not.
"I, on the contrary was not compelled. Never ever," Damon revealed, smiling sharply. "Being the self-serving, non-redeemable, psychopath that I am, I was attracted to her beauty, her charm, and her power. And now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go shove a stake through her chest, so that you, Elena Gilbert, can sleep soundly in your own home. Self-serving, indeed."
And with that, Damon exited, allowing his boots to pound on the wooden floor on his way out as emphasis to his words, instead of using vampire speed to retreat.
"I know this is a lot to take in, Elena," Stefan said, grabbing hold of her hands with his. "But Damon's right. We have to get a move on. No matter how this all started, it's going to end tonight."
Stefan moved to leave, but Elena grabbed at his arm. "Stefan. How do you even know she's still in Mystic Falls? She could be a hundred miles away by now. How are you going to find her?"
Stefan pursed his lips, deciding how to answer.
"I've said it before; Damon doesn't get mad. He just gets even. And Katherine was the one who hurt him the most. Even if it's just for revenge, he'll find her. If it's one thing I can count on him for, he'll find her."
And with that, Elena was left alone again, to sulk in her own miserable life.
A/N #2- so in this story, i've made it so Damon told Stefan the information he learned from Isobel when he confronted her in the foreclosed house. But what Elena doesn't know yet, is how long he's known, and hasn't told her. whaddya think the odds are that she won't be happy with him when she does find out he's been keeping secrets, AGAIN? place your bets noww ;)