I know, I know, I'm terrible for not updating lately, but I have been busy with another story that is a lot easier to write. This is also shorter than I wanted, but it took forever to get back into the groove of things. My goal is to update again on Thursday, so I won't make you wait too long. I also hope to finish my other story Love Mistakes and Cowardice by then. I hope you all enjoy.
Future Elena's POV
Once my breakfast is finished and cleaned up, I glance quickly at my phone only to discover seven missed calls all from the same number, Caroline. I listen intently to the messages that she left, and judging by the barely comprehensible words that I detect in between crying, I assume that her and Matt broke up last night. The stress of her transformation and something Stefan said to her, apparently led to a big blow out.
A part of me feels awful for the pain that Caroline must be facing right now in midst of all she is dealing with, but the other part remembers Matt rejecting her after finding out what she truly was. This breakup was inevitable ever since Caroline turned and she was no longer the normal teenage girlfriend Matt wanted. I want to call her, comfort her, and tell her this is all for the best, but there are more pressing and life threatening issues to deal with, so instead I text current Elena to catch her up on all the drama. After half hour without a reply, I text Jeremy. He informs me that Elena lost her phone last night, which explains why Caroline hadn't just talked to her directly. I finally deliver my message through Jeremy, confident that Caroline will be taken care of.
This little hiccup does however put a small kink in my plan. I don't know how I forgot about Matt. He is the only one that I didn't consider with this whole forced vacation scenario. Matt can't just take off from the grill. He needs the money and a vacation with his now ex-girlfriend might be a little awkward. When Damon comes striding into the room, a new idea forms. I give my best innocent doe eyed impression with a tiny hint of a smile.
"I know that look," Damon states skeptically. "That look always spells trouble for me. What do you want?" Damon questions cautiously, like I'm about to ask him to step outside without his daylight ring.
"I need a favor," I explain in my best playful voice, so Damon knows this isn't a matter of life or death. Damon smiles a little at my behavior, apparently finding me quite funny, which should help my cause.
"Past, present, or future, you certainly ask a lot of favors Miss Gilbert," Damon jokes teasingly. "The whole possibly dying gives you a bit of a trump card, so I am in your service. What can I do for you?" I ignore Damon's attempt at making light of the very serious ramifications of my time travel, because I know he is just hiding how much our conversation last night hurt him. He's scared of losing me, and he'll grant my every request. I feel terribly guilty for taking advantage of that, but I don't think I have another option. Matt's life is at risk, and it's not as if I'm trying to manipulate him.
"I need you to send Matt on a vacation?" I ask, with just a hint of begging in my voice.
"I thought we were already doing that." Damon reminds me, confused at the direction of the conversation.
"That was before Caroline and Matt broke up. They need to go on separate vacations," I elaborate further. Damon's face doesn't change. It maintains the same quizzical stare from moments ago.
"So what do you need from me?" Damon asks expectantly.
"I need you to compel Matt to leave, and I sort of need you to pay for his trip," I reply carefully. I know it is a lot to ask, especially considering I never got the impression that Damon ever really liked Matt, but I'm hoping he will at least do it for me.
"So let me get this straight," Damon summarizes in an attempt to understand, "you want me to compel your ex-boyfriend to take a vacation from his dull life of school and washing dishes, and you want me to pay for it." Damon finishes his analysis of the situation, and I feel a lot less confident at my prospects of getting him to agree.
"Pretty much," I admit sheepishly.
"Okay," Damon responds, like he just agreed to pick up a check for coffee.
"Just like that, no begging or groveling required," I inquire skeptically. Damon's smirk reappears and he oozes so much charm and sex that it almost makes me melt.
"I don't know if you've heard, but I'm sort of loaded, and I doubt time traveling pays all that well as a career, so it's not like you can pay for his tickets and accommodations. Plus I sort of owe him one for my part in what happened to Vicki, so I'll do it." I catch the tiniest flicker of regret at the mention of Vicki's name, but I choose to let it go, because I know Damon doesn't want to talk about her tragic end, and the guilt I know he still feels for her death. Instead I pull him into another one of our infamous hugs.
"You're the best. You know that." His regret is quickly replaced with arrogance at my compliment, and I'm happy to ease his troubled mind.
"I really, really am." Damon replies as cocky as ever, just the way he should be. I don't let the moment hang on for too long, since we do have pressing issues to attend to.
"So did you get ahold of Bonnie?" I inquire casually, not wanting to make a big deal over the sole hope for my survival.
"I did," Damon replies, "and she promised to come over once she was done with her witchy juju." We both ease into a comfortable back and forth, since neither of us want to delve once more into the angsty melodrama that has infected our every waking moment together for the past couple of days.
"Did you tell Stefan and Katherine about the vacation plan?" I question, hoping that they weren't too difficult.
"Yes and after ten minutes of perfunctory arguing, they agreed." Damon replies frustrated, and I surmise it wasn't exactly a fun conversation for him. Things between him and Stefan have been tense at best and antagonistic at worst. I'm grateful he tolerated Stefan's not so subtle digs just to secure his help.
"I'm going to text everyone to meet me here." I inform Damon, once more taking control of the situation.
"You might want to have them come one by one instead of as a group." Damon suggests thoughtfully. "You start compelling one of your loved ones, the others might get ideas and stage a jail break." Damon jokes sarcastically.
"You're right I'll stagger their arrivals, so we can compel them one at a time." Damon's face changes in an instant, and I know there is something he wants to say.
"You know you don't have to do this." Damon reminds me with sadness etched in every word. He still thinks this is a bad idea to send them away, but it is too big a risk to keep them here.
"I do have to do this." I answer confidently, trying to hide the doubts still plaguing my mind. "It's the only way that I know they'll all be safe." Damon gazes lovingly into my eyes and pushes my hair back behind my ears. His voice so soft and tender brings me more comfort than he knows.
"Let me give you a little bit of free advice from someone who's seen their fair share of death and loss," Damon offers. "Say goodbye to them before we compel them."
"They won't remember it." I remind him miserably. What would be the point? All that would do is make things more dramatic than they need to be. Considering Damon's usual desire to keep the emotion out of things, I can't help but question his advice.
"No, they won't remember," Damon concedes. But you will, and if you do die in the next week or the next month, you'll want closure. You'll want them to know, even on an unconscious level how much you loved them. Remember the compulsion can take away the memories, but not the feelings. If you're going to be aggravatingly selfless, at least take time for this small comfort."
I don't question Damon further. It is such a sweet thought, that I wouldn't even know where to begin to disagree, so I nod my head in consent. "Okay, I think I'm ready to say goodbye. I'll text Ric first. He will be the first one to get suspicious, so we should start with him."
It hurts so much to think about finally saying goodbye to the man who was like a second father to me. I brush away the stray tear that falls upon my face and bravely try to face losing my loved ones all over again.