AN: Hope everyone had a good weekend... Here's the last chap for a little bit... Gonna try to sit down this week and specifically write more of this... Wish me luck!

Chapter 24: The Morning After

When they finally got back to the Gilbert's, Alexis was passed out in the backseat. Damon got her out and carried her inside. As soon as they came in, Elena ran over to them.

"What happened?" She asked, seeing Alexis passed out in Damon's arms.

"She got drunk and passed out." Damon replied heading up the stairs. Elena followed him up, opening Alexis' door. Damon sat her on her bed, Elena pulling her shoes off as Damon covered her up. They turned to head downstairs.

"Wait." Alexis said, causing them to turn around. "Please stay." She said. She looked at Damon, who looked uneasy.

"Okay Lexi, I'll stay." Elena said, heading towards her bed.

"No." Alexis moaned. "Damon." Elena looked at him.

"I don't think that's such a good idea Alexis. You're mad at me, remember?" He replied. She frowned.

"Please?" She pleaded. Damon looked at Elena, who nodded.

"It'd be easier to look after her that way." She whispered to him.

"Yeah, but what happens when she wakes up sober and realizes I'm in bed with her? She's not going to be very happy." He replied.

"We'll deal with it then, we can't have her sneaking out again." After a second Damon nodded and turned back to face Alexis, who was watching them, her eyes half shut.

"All right, I'll stay." She smiled as he walked over and laid on the bed with her.

"Thank you." She mumbled, curling herself into his chest. He looked at Elena, who just smiled and left the room. Damon looked down at Alexis, who was already fast asleep, lightly snoring. He smiled, deciding that he would enjoy this… until morning came and a fight ensued.

The next morning

Alexis woke up, her head throbbing. She slowly sat up, trying to remember why her head was pounding. She glanced over at the other side of her bed, seeing Damon fast asleep. Her eyes widened as she remembered what had happened yesterday and she suddenly felt sick.

"Oh God." She said and ran into the bathroom, just in time for her drinks from the previous night to make a second appearance.

Damon woke instantly, hearing Alexis talk. He sat up, just as she ran into the bathroom. He could hear her retching and knew she was dealing with a hangover. He sighed, uncovering himself and walking over to her purse. He opened it up, grabbing her pain medication out of it. He knew that her retching would cause her stab wound to hurt and she would need it. He walked over to the bathroom, just as she was coming out. She looked at him, her eyes red rimmed and puffy. He held his hand out, handing her, her medication.

"Thanks." She muttered, taking them from him. She went back into the bathroom, getting water from the sink and popping the pills in her mouth. She came back out and walked past him, back into her bedroom. He went and leaned on her doorframe as she collapsed back onto the bed.

"How are you feelin?" He asked her. She lifted her head back up to look at him.

"Like I did something stupid." Damon chuckled. "Thank you." He looked at her, confused.

"For what?"

"For taking care of me last night. I know I was a mess, and drunk out of my mind, but I remember most of it." He nodded. "Thank you for staying… I know it had to be awkward." He shook his head.

"It wasn't awkward… It was nice, actually." She looked at him, feeling a little awkward herself.

"Thank you." He nodded. He was about to say something when Elena walked past the door. She stopped and stood next to Damon in the door way.

"I see you're awake." They could hear the biting in her tone.

"Yeah." Alexis answered. Damon could feel the tension building, and he wasn't about to stick around to be in a fight, especially since he'd avoided the one he thought that he was going to have with Alexis.

"I can see you two need to talk. I'll be downstairs with Stefan." Elena nodded as he turned and headed downstairs. She walked into Alexis' room and stood in front of her.

"Lexi-" She began, only to have Alexis cut her off.

"I know. I shouldn't've left, not when I had vampire blood in my system."

"And not telling us where you were? Do you even know how worried I was about you? Wondering if Katherine had you and if she was killing you!" Alexis sat up and looked at her. "I know that you were overwhelmed yesterday Lexi, but-"

"No, there's no buts. Yesterday I felt like my whole world was crumbling around me. I found out my best friend was a doppelganger, who has an evil vampire twin, who tried to kill me and turn me into a vampire! I found out that my other friends are either vampires, witches, or werewolves! And that the guy that I like is a vampire, who killed my parents. I just couldn't stand being here with any of you. I needed to get away, and forget… I just needed to get away. Don't tell me that you've never done something stupid." She explained, looking at the ground. Elena looked at her.

"Lexi-" She began, but cut off when Alexis rushed into the bathroom, once again retching. Elena took a deep breath and went inside, rubbing circles on her back until she stopped. Alexis turned to face her, tears steaming down her face.

"I'm so sorry Lena, so sorry." She sobbed. Elena pulled her into a hug, letting her cry.

After about an hour, Alexis and Elena went downstairs, heading into the kitchen. They smiled when they saw food on the table. Stefan came around the corner, smiling at them.

"Figured you two could use a good lunch." They smiled at him.

"Thank you Stefan." Alexis said. She looked down slightly. "I wanted to apologize for sneaking out last night… I know that I worried you guys, and I didn't mean to, I just-"

"You needed a break. It's all right, I completely understand. You had a lot dumped on you yesterday." Stefan finished. Alexis nodded. "Dig in." He said, pulling Elena's chair out for her. Elena smiled and sat down. Alexis sat down next to her. Stefan turned to leave.

"Aren't you staying?" Alexis asked him.

"No." He replied, shaking his head. "I've got some stuff to do."

"He's gotta go hunt some bunnies." Elena whispered, Alexis nodded, grinning. Stefan shook his head and walked out.