Thanks for all the laughs
N/B: Jeremy doesn't know about Alaric and the rings, he's been feed the same story as the police – Alaric died protecting an innocent young woman from a killer.
"Elena, I'm home," Jeremy called out as he came in the door. "What's with getting Stefan to pick me up?"
"Shh," Damon cut in as he zipped down the stairs. "She's sleeping."
"At 7 o'clock?" Jer asked cocking an eyebrow.
"She's had a rough couple of days."
"Yeah me too," Jeremy agreed. "Thanks for looking after her man but I should have been here."
"You were where Elena wanted you to be, safe."
"Huh?" Jeremy was confused.
"I just don't think your sister wants you to rush into moving back to town while there's a pscyho killer getting around town, so you won't right." The last words were the powerful ones. Jeremy blinked for a moment and then all ideas of rushing home to play sister's keeper were abandoned. Damon knew this wasn't strictly Elena-authorised but it was easier than going through a long conversation that Jeremy wouldn't be able to understand and Elena wouldn't be able to explain. Things were simpler this way. Damon couldn't run around trying to protect Jeremy from the Originals and Elena couldn't handle it if he failed.
"So, are you like living here now?" Jeremy queried.
"Just visiting," Damon smiled.
"You know you could," Elena offered casually in Damon's direction, coming in mid conversation and giving Jeremy a longer than normal hug. "It's so good to see you. I can't believe I didn't pick you up from the airport, my sleep has been totally screwed up this week."
"No worried, I'm here, I'm just sorry it's because of this."
"You sound good Jer, really good," Elena said positively trying not to choke. The sight of her brother had sent a flesh rush of tears down her face but they were silent tears and she was able to smile reassuringly through them.
"I am, I mean I know this is horrible, I keep thinking wow can anything else happen to this family, but I don't know, since I've moved I'm feeling more like I can cope, being around a family again with real grownups, it seems to help. Maybe you should move too?"
"Sorry Jer, I'd love to be closer to you but my place is here. Mystic Falls needs me too much."
"This town can survive without the Gilberts you know, don't throw your life away on some family legacy, there's more to life than the Founders Council and the Heritage Committee. It's been really good getting away from all of that."
"I'm glad for you Jeremy, but I can't. Not now. Maybe one day," Elena promised smiling. "Now, how about some food?" she asked brightly.
"Sure," Jeremy smiled.
Damon was surprised and somewhat confused. He had predicted that Elena would wake up from her post-coital nap, decide she had made a huge mistake and kick his ass out of the house. Instead she had practically invited him to move in, in front of her brother. Secondly, even though he had been the one to compel Jeremy he was still amazed how well the younger Gilbert was dealing with things. Maybe he had underestimated Elena's sad little brother. At any rate if Elena wanted them to play happy families for now he would, in the morning they had a funeral to go to and no one was looking forward to that. In fact the more Damon thought about it the bigger the knot of dread grew in his stomach. For the first time since Alaric had died Damon had stopped worrying about how Elena was coping and it left room for horrible inner questions.
Damon found Alaric's last scotch bottle and opened it sadly. He filled a crystal class almost to overflowing and while Elena and Jeremy talked in the kitchen Damon made a silent toast his fallen comrade. The burn helped a little, but the bottle would be empty by morning before he slept that night. It was all he could do to keep from making his excuses and going out on the town. Damon knew himself well enough to know that if he did there was a chance he'd do something spectacularly stupid, like sleeping with Rebekah, not that he was feeling in the least bit sexually deprived now that things were finally happening on that front. Generally speaking Damon wasn't one for worrying about making mistakes, life was too short or too eternal to torture yourself like little brother Stefan when he was in high and mighty mode, but now that Elena was finally his Damon had so much more to lose.
A/N – sorry for the short chapter update, the next chapter will also be a bit small but it will be significant for Elena and Damon who haven't yet had a chance to talk about what happened at the end of Chapter 10 (it's not the sort of conversation you have with your little brother in the room!). After that we have a funeral to attend but some action is coming up I promise. Damon and Elena have been really tied up in their own little world at present but the stalemate with the Originals will not last forever.