"So how are we going to do this? Am I going to sneak out without them knowing I was here, or are we going to come clean?" I asked when he finally opened his eyes the next morning. I had spent the past half hour just lying here watching him sleep. I'd never had that urge to watch someone sleep before. But now here I was, completely in love with a person.
"Do you want to just sneak out?" He asked and I shrugged.
"I can do it if you want me to. If you don't want your mom and dad to know I slept here last night, it might be the best idea." I offered snuggling closer to him. I wanted to be as close to him as I could get before we would be inevitably separated. We couldn't constantly be together, even though right now that's exactly what I want.
"Knock knock, I'm coming in." A voice outside said that I immediately recognized as his mother.
"I don't think sneaking out is going to be possible." He murmured just before his mom came barrelling into the room wearing an apron.
"Mom." Damon greeted her.
"I was just coming in to tell you that breakfast will be ready in a few minutes. Good morning, Elena. It's nice to meet you with a clear head. She's more than welcome to join us for breakfast." Mrs. Salvatore said before breezing out of the room. Damon's eyes were wide and I couldn't help but laugh. She totally just took it all in stride, seeing her son with a girl in his bed. She was officially a cool mom. My mom would have flipped out if she ever saw a girl in Jeremy's bed. I knew that from experience. I'd seen it happen on more than one occasion.
"I guess we should head down to breakfast." Damon said with a shake of his head.
"I guess we should. I've been invited." I teased and he shook his head again with a chuckle. I quickly changed back into my clothes and handed him his t-shirt back.
"You can keep it." He said handing it back but I placed it in his hands again.
"You keep it for the next time I spend the night." I told him. He grinned and made a show of folding it up and putting it in the drawer.
"Shall we?" He asked offering me his arm when I finished buttoning my jeans and straightening my clothes.
"We shall." I answered. I took his arm and we walked down the stairs to where we heard laughter in the dining room.
"Well Elena, I was wondering when we'd get to see you again. I'd like to formally apologize for my behaviour when my wife was ill. It was unforgiveable but I'd like it if you'd give my family a chance to make a good impression on you." Giuseppe Salvatore apologized.
"It's water under the bridge. I would have probably reacted the same way." I assured him. He smiled and nodded before sitting down beside Lily once again. They held hands on the table and I smiled at Damon who was smiling softly at them. It's like he didn't want them to know how much it affected him, though it did. Even Damon loved seeing his parents happy together.
"You're such a lovely young lady. It's an absolute pleasure to meet a girl who makes my son smile so wide. I can see the joy you bring to other people." His mom said and I smiled at her too. All this praise was making me feel awkward. They wouldn't feel the same way about me, if they knew what I could do. They wouldn't approve if they found out that I'm a vampire, especially one who indulged on a bit of their son's blood last night. The little bit of blood Damon gave me last night, was easily the most erotic experience of my life. We all dished up our breakfast and I ate heartily. Just because I didn't require food, didn't mean that I didn't enjoy it. I loved human food and while it wasn't as satisfying as it once had been, didn't mean that I didn't continue to enjoy it. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket but I chose to ignore it. Whatever Caroline wanted could wait until after this breakfast. I wanted to make a good impression on Damon's family.
"So are you still leading cheer for us Elena?" Stefan asked curiously. It was clear that he thought when I started dating his brother, I would stop everything I was doing before. Would I quit cheerleading, I would in a heartbeat, but Damon likes the idea of me being a cheerleader.
"I'm planning on it." I told him and he grinned.
"Excellent, you're practically my good luck charm. I just didn't think Damon would ever be willing to be with someone from my group." He said, I knew he didn't mean any harm by it. Stefan was a good guy, it was just the way it came out of his mouth.
"I happen to like dating a cheerleader. The outfit is sexy as hell." Damon rebutted and Stefan blushed.
"Well now back to more suitable breakfast conversations. Where did you grow up Elena?" Lily asked and I smiled and appreciated the change in subject.
"All over the place. After my mom and brother left my dad and I, we travelled all over the US. We just never found a place that felt right." I told her.
"Mystic Falls feels right for you?" She asked and I nodded.
"It does. It works because my father teaches at Whitmore, so it's not that long of a commute. My best friend Caroline and I live here more or less alone but my father is just a phone call away." I told and her and she nodded.
"Isn't it a bit scary living away from your parents? You're still so young. You shouldn't be alone already." She worried and I smiled to hopefully take away her worries.
"It's not so bad. I have Caroline and my dad is close enough to come home if we need him." I promised. My phone vibrated again and I pressed the silence button once again. Whatever she needed could wait.
"Is everything okay?" Damon asked and I nodded.
"It's just Caroline, being Caroline." I assured him even though I wasn't so sure. She never called like this, but I had to keep up appearances. I couldn't ask Damon to drive me back to my car right now in the middle of breakfast, and his parents would be upset if I left to walk home alone. It was just easier to wait until we were done eating. My phone went off again and I was officially worried.
"Maybe you should answer it? It sounds important." Damon suggested and I nodded and pulled my phone out of my pocket.
"I'll be right back." I told everyone. I went into the other room and called Caroline back who answered on the first ring. Damon stepped out of the dining room to stand with me.
"What's going on?" I whispered. I didn't want anyone else overhearing this conversation.
"You need to come home right now Elena." She said, her voice not the same happy chortle it usually was.
"Why? What's going on Care?" I demanded. It wasn't like her to get antsy like this. Something must really be wrong if she sounded like this.
"Just come home Elena. Let's just say we have company." She told me and I cursed under my breath.
"Alright, just give me a few minutes. I need to keep up appearances." I told her and she replied with one more "hurry" before hanging up.
"Is everything okay?" Damon asked with his hand on my lower back.
"Caroline sounds almost desperate. I have to go see what's going on, but I need you to drive me to my car to keep up appearances." I told him.
"I'm coming with you. I'll drive you straight to your house. I'm not letting you go in there alone if something dangerous is going on." He told me.
"Damon, I love you but this could be dangerous. I wouldn't forgive myself if something happens to you. I need to go alone." I told him shaking my head. I'd never seen Caroline this panicked before so it had to be important. It was one of two things, either it was so bad that our lives were over, or Caroline was being a drama queen making it worse than it really was.
"I'm going with you, or else you're not leaving this house. You're a vampire and so is Caroline, nothing is going to happen. It's probably nothing, I just won't feel better until I know for sure." He said and I sighed knowing I wouldn't get away until I let him come.
"Alright." I sighed and let him lead me back into the dining room.
"Elena's roommate is really sick. Like food poisoning sick, so I've got to get her home to take care of her." Damon came up with the lie on the spot. I was impressed, I had no idea what to say to them. The lie came to him like he lied to them all the time. Which, I guess he did considering his Friday night activities.
"Oh, I hope she's alright. Come back any time Elena. You're always welcome here." Lily said and Giuseppe echoed the sentiment.
"Thank you, but we really have to get going. I'll see you guys soon." I said letting Damon lead me out of the house.
I wrung my hands the entire drive to my house. Damon ended up reaching over to take my hand in his, lacing our fingers together as he drove.
"You have to promise me that if there are no heartbeats in that house you'll leave. If there are other vampires in there I can't be worrying about you. I need you to go home and let me deal with it. I'm not old enough of a vampire to take care of you and keep myself alive." I made him promise.
"I'm not leaving you." He said solemnly.
"You have no choice Damon. If you stay and there are vampires in there then we're both dead." I told him.
"Alright, fine. I'll leave but you have to call me the second it's over to let me know you're fine. I won't come in there with you but you have to call or come by." He bargained and I smiled at him.
"I will. I promise." I said as he pulled up to the curb. I took a deep breath and focused my hearing on the inside of the house. From where I was sitting I could hear one distinct heartbeat but that didn't mean that there weren't more.
"Are they human?" He asked and I nodded. "Do you still want me to leave?"
"Please. I don't know who is in there. Whether it's someone I need to compel or something else entirely. I don't want you to know the vampire inside me so much, I want you to know the woman who loves you." I told him.
"You can't keep both lives separate forever, you know." He reminded me and I nodded.
"I know, but I can keep you from the parts that I'm not proud of. Please, just let me come find you when I'm done." I pleaded.
"Okay. Call me when you're done and I'll come get you. We still need to go get your car." He reminded me and I gave in.
"Okay, I'll call you in a little while." I promised leaning over to accept a kiss from him. We kissed briefly before I got out of the car and walked up the front walk. Damon stayed put until I got to the door. He drove away when I opened it and I stepped inside.
"Elena, is that you?" Caroline called and I stopped in my tracks when I went into the family room.
"What the fuck is this?" I demanded looking at the person sitting on the couch.
"Hello, Elena. It seems we really need to talk." She said.
"I have nothing to say to you. You ran and left me with just my father. I have nothing to say to you, so I'm leaving." I hissed. I had absolutely nothing to say to the woman who calls herself my mother.
"She came to warn us, Elena. Sit down and listen to what she has to say, please." Caroline insisted.
"Fine speak," I acquiesced, sitting down on the couch across from my mother.