A/N: I recommend that at the end of this story you let Everything by Lifehouse play through for the scene with Damon and Kali. Let it play through to the end while you read. It'll give you a bet picture of Damon and Kali.
Chapter 17
You Calm the Storms
Slowly, Elena began to wake from the blackness that was sleep, her brow scrunching together at the pain in her head. Her eyes opened slowly, hesitantly. She had to bite back a gasp as she sat up, taking in her surroundings. She was in what looked to be a hotel room, sheets resting beneath her. To her left, she found Kali laying there on the other bed, body limp. Her hand shook as she reached out, carefully lifting herself from the bed. She shook her gently, her head turning to glance over at the sleeping vampire in the chair. Kali barely moved though, leaving Elena with no other choice, but to head for the door.
Carefully, she stepped over the man's leg, making sure not to bump it as she went. His head moved a bit as she past, but that was it, allowing her to make her way to the door. She looked back one more time, slowly sliding the chain over, her hand on the knob. The other came down to the lock and she held her breath. Quickly, she turned over the lock, a gasp escaping her as the man stood in front of her.
"I wouldn't," he stated, stepping closer, his eyes locking with hers.
He was trying to compel her.
"Don't try to escape. Don't even move," he said slowly.
She remained perfectly still, playing the part of a compelled victim.
"Do you understand?" he asked.
"I understand," she breathed, eyes trained forward like a zombie.
He grinned, walking away afterward, his back turned to her. That gave her the chance she needed, quickly throwing the door open and pushing her way out. She was grabbed instantly though by the person entering, their hand gripping her arm painfully. She tried to fight back, but it did her little good.
"Seriously?" the girl asked in exasperation.
"I told her not to move. I did that eye thing you taught me," he said, trying to defend himself.
The girl merely pushed her toward the door at the back of the room.
"But you forgot the lesson about vervain. She dates a vampire, Ben, duh."
"Who are you?" Elena exclaimed, the noise stirring Kali from her sleep. "What do you want?"
"Does it matter?" the girl breathed tiredly, shoving her into the room.
Elena hit the mirror as she was pushed in, catching herself as the door slammed shut behind her. She was in a bathroom, her eyes going wide as they landed on the bathtub.
"Bonnie?" she breathed out.
She received no answer, quickly falling to her knees beside the bathtub, Bonnie's face cradled in her hands.
"Oh my God, Bonnie."
T
"Anna took Elena," Stefan breathed, walking into the library of the boarding house.
Damon had been ignoring him since last night and it was driving him insane.
"Yeah, I got that from your 600 voicemails," Damon replied dully, brushing him off as he read through the spell book in his lap.
It was rather thick, so there was a lot to look through.
"Damon," Stefan started, stepping forward. "All night long, every single street in town, I've been searching."
He stood in front of Damon, wringing his hands.
"What if your blood hasn't passed out of her system?"
"At least you know you'll see her again," he answered.
"Please," Stefan begged, sitting down beside Damon, hands clamped together. "What do you know?"
Damon continued reading over the Grimoire, eyes skimming over the lines.
"You were with Anna, you must know where she's living. Just tell me where I can find her."
Damon looked over at Stefan for a moment, pretending to think about it, before shaking his head.
"Nope," he answered, glancing back down at the book. "You can go. Really," he smiled.
Stefan sighed, looking around the room for a moment. He knew exactly why Damon was doing this. He'd lied to him, hurt him, gone behind his back.
"You know, all I can remember is hating you," he voiced. "There might have been a time when it was different, but your choices have erased anything good about you," he told his brother.
Damon looked back over at him, listening as he spoke. He decided to humor him and listen, see what he had to say as he laid the book out in his lap, arms resting on the sides of the large leather bound chair.
"But see, I also know that you have just as much reason to hate me," he pointed out. "This all began with me."
Damon looked elsewhere for a moment, taking in Stefan's words. At least Stefan knew that he was at fault for all of this.
"Katherine got taken away from you…because of me," he imparted. "And I'm sorry."
"Apology accepted," Damon said quietly, nodding his head, his hand creeping under the next piece of parchment.
"So please, just tell me what you know. It's Elena, Damon. So if you know something, tell me."
Damon sighed, closing the book as he drew in a breath. He stared at his brother for a moment, licking his lower lip as he stood from his seat, Stefan following suit.
"I mean this sincerely," Damon started, looking Stefan in the eyes.
Stefan nodded, waiting for Damon to continue.
"I hope Elena dies," he finished, walking away and out of the room.
After all, Damon had nothing to worry about at this point. He had the Grimoire and Kali had her apartment. There was nothing askew.
T
I heard the sound of water running, talking filling my ears. Slowly, I opened my eyes, a wave of dizziness washing over me.
"Ah, you're awake," I heard a voice greet, turning my head toward it.
I found a young girl standing there, her features suggesting that she was of Asian descent.. She was the same girl from last night.
"You!" I narrowed, scooting back on the bed that I was in.
I pushed myself against the headboard, my eyes landing on a man not too far away, his eyes staring at me hungrily.
"Actually, my name is Anna," she told me, leaning against the door. "And you're Kali, Damon's friend," she stated.
"What do you want?" I demanded.
"Can I bite her?" the guy whined, stepping forward.
"No, Ben," Anna sighed. "I need her in one piece if I want Damon's cooperation," she told him.
"What do you want?" I asked again, narrowing my eyes at her.
"The Grimoire," she stated. "Something that Damon has."
I stared at her warily, glancing between her and the one that I now knew as Ben.
"I need it to open the tomb," she told me, pushing off of the door and walking toward me.
I backed up further, nearly falling off of the bed. Ben had hold of me in an instant, gripping my arms.
"You're going to help me get it back," Anna said simply, her face now inches from my own.
"And if I refuse?" I dared.
I felt Ben's grip tighten, wincing as a result.
"Oh, trust me, you don't have a choice," she said bluntly. "I've been watching the two of you for a while, studying you. Damon would try anything if he thought he'd get you back in one piece."
"That's a lie!" I choked out. "All he wants is to get Katherine back. After that, I might as well not even exist."
"Ah, now, that's where you're wrong," she told me, picking up a strand of hair that rested on my shoulder.
"He already told Stefan that he was leaving once he got Katherine back," I narrowed. "What's the point?"
"The point…" she started. "Is that you've already dug your way in," she said simply, pulling back.
T
Damon made his way up the steps of the porch, tentatively knocking three times on the dark blue door. It opened after a moment, revealing Sheila, Bonnie's grandmother.
"Yes?" she answered.
"Hi there," Damon smiled, hands folded in front of him. "I'm, uh, looking for Bonnie," he announced.
"She's not here," Sheila answered.
"Oh, do you know when she would be-" he started, only to be cut off.
"Never," she answered curtly.
Damon chuckled, eyes narrowing slightly.
"Heh. You're quite an opinion for someone that doesn't know me," he told her.
"You've got some nerve knockin' on a Bennett witch's door and askin' her for anything," she said smoothly, eyes locked with his.
"What did I do?" Damon inquired curiously.
"Spirits talk, Mr. Salvatore, and so does my granddaughter," she informed him. "You are no friend to us. Now, get off my porch."
Damon narrowed his eyes threateningly, taking a step forward until he was face to face with her.
"Step outside and say that," he dared.
His brows furrowed as she stared at him, taking a small step forward. His hand went to his temple, pain exploding through his senses and bringing him to his knees. It felt like a fire had been set inside his head, white hot pain overwhelming him.
"Ah," he winced, gasping in pain.
"I am not Bonnie," Sheila said firmly, stepping fully outside of her home. "You don't wanna mess with me."
After that, she stepped back inside, closing the door and leaving Damon wreathing in pain.
"Damn it," he choked out, stumbling off of the porch, his head still in pain.
He knew that that was one witch that he didn't want to piss off.
T
I grunted as I was shoved into the bathroom, Elena taking my place outside with Anna.
"I suggest you not try anything," Ben warned, shoving me backwards.
I winced as I fell into the tub, my legs coming out from under me, my back knocking against the wall.
"Kali!" Bonnie cried, moving to help me.
Ben grabbed her, pushing her back against the sink.
"Leave her alone," I grunted, wincing as I tried to push myself up.
My hand slipped though, sending me back down into the tub, my back knocking against the ceramic molding.
"I suggest you stay where you're at," Ben narrowed, watching me careful.
I just glared at him, feeling the space of my pocket. My phone was still there.
T
"Kali?" Damon knocked, standing outside her apartment. "It's Damon," he called. "Open up."
He stood there for a moment, silence greeting him.
"Kali?" he tried again, digging into his pocket.
He pulled out his keys, gripping the small apartment key that he'd added to the ring.
"I'm coming in," he warned, sliding it in into the lock.
He turned it, the sound of the door unlocking meeting his ears.
"Kali?" he called, pushing the door open.
Everything was as he'd left it, not a thing out of place.
"Kali?"
He looked around, slowly making his way into the hall. He pushed open the door to her bedroom, finding it completely untouched. It was as if she'd never even been there.
"Something's not right," he breathed, quickly making his way back outside, closing the door behind him.
He made his way back downstairs, walking toward the exit. He stopped though when he caught something out of the corner of his eye. His eyes narrowed as he found her bike stowed away under the stairs, her messenger bag tossed beside it.
"Damn it!" he hissed.
T
"Bonnie's not gonna open the tomb," Elena sighed, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Oh, I think she will," Anna voiced.
"Do you really want Katherine out that bad?" Elena asked.
Anna pulled away from the window, turning to face Elena.
"Trust me," she breathed. "No one I know wants to see that girl again. Except Damon, the love-struck idiot," she sneered.
"Then what is it?" Elena asked. "Or who is it?"
"My mother's in there," Anna answered quietly, arms folded over her chest, sun gleaming off of the side of her face.
She then pushed away from the wall, walking toward Elena.
"Katherine couldn't help herself. She just had to toy around with both of the Salvatore brothers," Anna told her. "Then when she got caught, so did my mother."
Elena sat there, watching, listening to every word Anna spoke.
"I watched Johnathon Gilbert take her away."
"I'm sorry," Elena breathed, her words sincere as she thought about her own parents.
Her words caught Anna off guard, her brows furrowing together in confusion.
"You really mean that, don't you?" she asked.
Elena's silence confirmed her question.
"Yeah, I think we'll skip the "dead mom" bonding so you can start serving a purpose," she announced.
"Which is what?" Elena asked skeptically.
"Leverage," Anna answered, picking up the phone resting on the little round table. "You and you're friend Kali actually. This belong to you?" she asked, holding the phone up.
Elena made to grab it, but Anna held it back.
"Uh-uh."
She then walked away back over toward the door, dialing a number, the line ringing.
T
Stefan jumped as he heard his phone begin to ring, scrambling for it.
"Elena, are you okay?" he breathed out, holding the phone close to his ear.
"She's fine, for now. Tell me you have the Grimoire, and she'll stay fine," Anna replied.
Damon stepped into the room quietly, listening to Stefan's conversation as he leaned against the wall, folding his arms over his chest. He was irritated to say the least.
"The same thing goes for Damon's little friend."
"I'll get it," Stefan promised.
"Which means your brother has it," she concluded. "And I have the witch. So one of you…had better meet me in the very public town square in 30 minutes so we can safely discuss how fun its gonna be to work together."
After that, Anna hung up, leaving Stefan standing there. He just looked down at his phone, before turning toward Damon, biting his lip.
"Go ahead. Grovel again," Damon taunted. "Oh, wait. No. I don't care," he reminded him.
"Damon, you heard her. She has Kali too," Stefan told him.
"And?" Damon questioned, raising an eyebrow before walking out of the room.
T
I heard a knock on the bathroom door, turning toward the sound.
"I'm leaving," Anna called.
Ben opened the door a moment later, tugging Bonnie out of the room. I took this time to pull out my phone, switching it to silent. It was smaller than my old phone, slimmer too. I typed in a message quickly, pressing send, before shoving it in my pocket. I couldn't afford to be caught with it.
"Alright, come on, you," Ben groaned, stepping back into the bathroom and tearing me from the tub.
I winced as he pushed me forward, my foot catching the seal between the door. I ended up on my face before I could even do anything, groaning.
"Kali!" Elena gasped, making to help me.
Instead, Ben grabbed me up from the floor, tossing me on the bed beside Elena.
"Can you be any rougher?" Bonnie scoffed.
"Keep them buttoned down," Anna instructed, glancing over at me for a moment. "Compulsion won't work. Just use violence."
"Right. I got that," Ben nodded.
"Keep her in one piece though?" Anna sighed, walking out the door a moment later.
"Sit. Behave," Ben scoffed, pulling his jacket off and placing it on the back of a chair. "So, you're the key to this. Literally. The one who opens the door," he mused, staring at Bonnie. "So, tell me, how long have you been a witch?" he inquired, staring at her expectantly.
"Is there anything to drink here?" Elena asked, uncomfortable with his pathetic attempt at small talk.
"Are you offering?" he grinned, stepping toward her.
"Stay back," I growled, narrowing my eyes at him.
He seemed to take this as a challenge, coming toward me.
"There's water on the nightstand," he told Elena, eyes still on me.
I glared hatefully, only to have him show his fangs instead.
"I bite harder," he challenged.
"Can I have a sip?" Bonnie asked.
I watched out of the corner of my eye as Elena gave her a strange look, wondering what she was doing. She gave it to her a moment later though, Bonnie gripping it in her hand. It was like time completely stopped for a moment as Bonnie tossed the water on Ben. I watched as came a light a moment later, the sound of him shouting meeting my ears.
Our eyes met and then Elena and Bonnie ran, jolting from the beds and running toward the door. I was the last one to move though, Ben's arms wrapping around me tightly, crushing my ribs. Bonnie was already out the door, Elena gripping the frame of the door.
"Come back in and shut the door," Ben ordered, bringing his hand to my throat.
My eyes widened in fear as they stood there, Ben's fingers wrapping tightly around the delicate skin of my neck. He then brought his face closer, fangs slipping out, threatening to bite me.
"Don't hurt her," Elena begged.
"Don't make me," he growled.
"Bonnie, run!" I cried.
"You run, I tear her throat out," he threatened, growling in my ear.
I could feel myself shake as he held me against him, watched as Elena and Bonnie stepped back inside, the door closing behind them.
"Lock it," he hissed.
T
Damon strolled forward into the town square, his phone held tightly in his hand. He was irritated, already receiving a message from Kali. The message had only contained one word. Help. His eyes narrowed slightly when he caught sight of Anna seated on a bench, quickly making his way over and sitting down.
"Got a hot date or you just planning on nabbing the entire Gilbert family?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"Party. Right next to the old cemetery," she answered. "Isn't that nice of them. Lots of warm bodies for starving vampires."
"I told you, I work alone," Damon stated. "Now, why'd you take Kali?"
"Yeah, so do I, but you're minus a witch and I'm minus a spell book. So, what do you say?"
"You didn't answer my question," Damon pointed out.
"And you didn't answer mine," Anna countered.
"Why did you take Kali?" Damon repeated slowly, the muscles in his face pulling slightly.
"How else could I possibly get you to cooperate?"
"Stefan will come after you, you know that," Damon told her, before adding, "For messing with Elena."
"Then he won't be too happy if I kill her when I don't get what I want," she pointed out. "I've got more than one hostage you know."
"Don't give me another reason to hurt you," Damon warned lowly.
"Trust me, I don't need another reason to kill her."
With that, Anna stood up, making to walking off.
"When do you wanna do this?" Damon sighed, finally giving in.
He wasn't about to push his luck with Anna because he knew she could deliver any threat that she posed.
"God, it's like 1864 all over again," Anna laughed, turning back around to face him.
Damon just groaned, crossing his legs as he stretched his arm out behind the top of the bench.
"You Salvatores are truly pathetic when it comes to women," she voiced, stepping toward him, her arms crossed over her chest. "Tonight. At sundown," she announced. "Meet at the church."
T
"Witches don't have eternal life, right?" Ben asked, pacing around the room.
He was really starting to get annoying, but unfortunately, I couldn't really do anything. The bastard had tied me to the chair, leaving me unable to move.
"So you guys can die."
"Yeah, we can die," Bonnie answered quietly.
Ben chuckled, slowly moving his way back of to me, eyes landing on my still form.
"Huh. That sucks."
Right as he was about to reach out and touch me, the front door burst open, Stefan standing in the doorway. I heard Ben shouting as the light hit him, burning his skin as he went to hide, curling into a ball by in between the beds.
"Stefan," Elena breathed.
Stefan threw the curtains open next, leaving Ben unable to go anywhere.
"Guys, get outside," Stefan told them, moving over to me and pulling the ties loose.
I rubbed my wrists as I looked up at him, brows furrowing together slightly at that fact that it hadn't been Damon.
"He didn't come," I whispered, looking back down at my hands.
"Please," Stefan breathed out, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Get outside," he told me.
I nodded my head slowly, standing up from the chair. I was a bit shaky, but I managed to make my way outside, Bonnie and Elena wrapping their arms around me tightly.
"I'm okay," I whispered, feeling my spirit shake. "I just wanna go home."
T
"How did you know where we were?" Bonnie asked, staring over at her grandmother.
She'd come home, while Elena and Stefan took Kali back to her apartment.. She'd obviously been shaken, nerves wound tight. Bonnie knew part of the reason why, something that she wasn't proud of. All it had taken was one touch, one touch, and she knew. Damon.
"Many things can fuel a witch's power. Worry, anger," Sheila explained. "After Stefan told me that they had taken you, I had a lot of both."
Bonnie smiled at her words, drawing a small pattern on the table with her fingertip.
"A simple locator spell was easy after that."
"I'm sorry," Bonnie breathed. "About all of this."
"Not as sorry as they're gonna be," Sheila assured her, the sound of the front door opening meeting their ears.
"So, what do we do now?" Elena asked, stepping into the room with Stefan.
"Well, for now, you need to stay here," Stefan told her.
"A prisoner in my own home?" Sheila asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow at Stefan. "I don't think so."
"I can't protect you if you leave," he told her.
"We'll protect ourselves," she told him.
"What about Kali?" Bonnie asked, looking up at Stefan.
"She's back at her apartment. She'll be safe there," he assured her.
"We need to let him have Katherine back," Elena said after a moment.
She hated admitting it, but at this point, it was the only thing that they could do. Damon hadn't even bothered coming for Kali and Elena wanted to spare her further heartache. If Damon was going to leave, then she'd help him get Katherine back, just so that he'd be gone. Maybe they could help Kali get past it all once everything was over with.
"He's not gonna stop until he gets her. If we help him, maybe that ends it."
"No," Bonnie shook her head. "He doesn't deserve to get what he wants. He's just been playing with Kali's heart."
"What other choice do we have?" Elena sighed, looking around at everyone.
"Witches being pulled down by vampire problems," Sheila shook her head. "As much as we try to do to stay out of it."
Bonnie looked down at her hands, taking in her grandmother's words.
"I'll open the tomb," Sheila agreed. "You get your brother's girl and destroy the rest with fire. Then this will be all over."
"We still have to get Damon to agree," Stefan reminded them.
"He already agreed once," Elena told him.
"Yeah, and then we double-crossed him," he added. "So now he's angry."
"He's hurt. There's a difference," she told him.'
She paused for a moment after that, realization hitting her.
"I think I know what I have to do."
T
I sighed as I walked around my apartment, rubbing my arm lightly. It was chilly in here. Then again, it was nearing winter at this point.
I made my way into my room, finding a little heater sitting by the wall. I plugged it in, turning on. I tossed by my bag down on the floor beside my bed after that, sitting down after a moment. I felt the mattress sink down a bit from my weight. The bedding that had been placed there was soft and inviting.
"Why do things always have to be so complicated?" I sighed, slumping forward, my arms resting on my knees.
I reached down, digging through my bag lazily. One of my pencils slipped out as I pulled my journal free, rolling underneath the bed.
"Come on," I groaned, getting up and crouching down beside the bed.
I looked underneath of it, padding around for my pencil.
"Come on…" I groaned, reaching back as far as I could.
I felt my fingertips brush something, along with my pencil. Carefully, I pulled them out. It looked like an old piece of paper at first until I turned it around, my eyes widening slightly.
"I thought I'd lost this," I whispered, looking down at the old photo.
It was a picture of me and my dad. It'd been taken the year he died, merely a few months before passing away. Even with the sickness, we'd still been happy. Things were so much simpler back then. No vampires, no Jason… There was no Damon either.
"Get over it," I sighed, trying to shake the thoughts from my head.
I couldn't though, so I pulled my journal open, laying back on my bed. I found a fresh page, pushing the cover back against the bed.
T
Elena walked in to find Damon in the library. He was pulling his leather jacket on as he turned to her, raising an eyebrow in question. He was silent for a moment as he stood there, staring at her. She knew what she had to do.
"I'm going to have to change the locks," he said out loud, picking the Grimoire up in his hands. "You stage a jailbreak?" he asked sarcastically, placing the book under his arm.
"Stefan," she answered, pulling the scarf from her neck.
"Oh, brother. Ever the white knight."
His voice was cynical as he spoke, making Elena sigh. He wasn't going to let this go.
"I convinced Bonnie to help you," she told him.
"I doubt that," he said simply, staying where he was, hand resting against the table.
"I'm not going to say that I'm sorry we got the Grimoire without you last night because I'm not really," she told him, moving forward and down the couple of steps to his level.
"Well, at least you're honest."
"I was protecting the people I love, Damon," she told him. "But so were you, in your own twisted way. And as hard as it is to figure, we're all on the same side, all after the same thing."
"Not interested," he stated, moving away.
"Yes, you are because you were willing to work with us yesterday."
Damon turned around at her words, lifting a finger.
"Fool me once, shame on you," he chided, making to leave again.
Elena was quick to speak though, keeping him in his place.
"Okay. When we were in Atlanta, why didn't you use your compulsion on me?" she asked.
Damon stepped forward at the challenge, wetting his lips for a moment as he set the Grimoire down.
"Who's to say I didn't?" he inquired, tilting his head to the side slightly.
"You didn't," she answered after a moment.
Damon gave her a look.
"I know you didn't," she replied, this time a bit more sure of herself. "But you could have."
Damon stood there, arms folded. He was still skeptical, still untrusting. The only person that hadn't lied to him was Kali, but even then, he still didn't feel like he could trust anyone.
"You and I…we have something," she breathed, stepping toward him.
Damon tried looking away, but it did him little good. He didn't like feeling guilty about something, he didn't like being betrayed or hurt.
"An understanding," she relayed. "And I know that my betrayal hurt you. Different from how it is with you and Stefan, but I'm promising you this now, I will help you get Katherine back," she said firmly.
Damon groaned, shifting in his spot. He'd heard this before. Every time, it was a lie.
"I wish I could believe you," he breathed, his mouth pulling back into a thin line.
Out of desperation, Elena pulled the necklace from her neck, setting it down on the table. She was determined to get through to him.
"Ask me if I'm lying now."
Damon glanced down at the necklace, eyes traveling back up to Elena. He lowered his head slightly, searching her eyes, before moving forward. This told Damon that she knew there was no going back. If Damon wanted to, he could do anything that he wanted now.
"You know Anna won't stop, by the way, no matter what I do," he breathed out, coming to stand before her.
They were so close.
"Then we'll deal with it," she answered
Without taking his eyes away from her, he reached down, picking the necklace up in his hand. He shook his head as he reached forward, fascening it back around her neck.
"I didn't compel you in Atlanta because we were having fun," he admitted quietly, looking her in the eyes. "I wanted it to be real."
They stood there for a moment, staring at one another. Damon was risking a lot right now and he knew it.
"I'm trusting you," he told her. "Don't make me regret it."
T
-There's always something happening in this dream we call life. Reality.
No matter how much we try to fight it, it never seems to do much good. It seems as though I'm always left standing in the dust.
I finally thought that I had something, something that I could actually hold onto. I thought that maybe, just maybe, Damon would be a part of my life. I thought that he would stay here, standing by my side… I guess I was wrong.
Elena told me that he was only looking to bring Katherine back, that he planned to leave once he had her. He promised me that he wouldn't leave. At least that's what I thought.
I can feel my mind going back to those times when we kissed, the feeling of his lips on mine. The feeling was comforting. I don't know if it actually meant something to him or not, but I know that it meant something to me.
Why can't things just be simple? Why couldn't I have fallen for a normal guy? Instead, I fell for Damon, a cocky vampire with a killer smile.
If only he knew just how much I cared. How hard I try to hold onto my sanity. At least 3 times I've tried, tried to tell him how I felt. Something comes up every time, preventing me from telling him. Then everything goes back to Katherine. So what's the point?
I'm just another speck in the wind, just another random person. My problem is that I don't want to be random. I want our time to mean something. I want to mean something to him. I don't want to be just another memory of his past, a memory of my own past. If I'm truly honest with myself, then I'll say that I want to be a part of his future. I don't want him to walk away into the night and leave me behind, but at the same time, I want him to be happy and if being with Katherine makes him happy, I guess I'll have to let him walk away. I'll have to let him go because I can't be selfish with him. God knows I want to be, but it's not my choice. It's his.
He has to make the choice of whether to stay or leave. I can only hope for myself that he decides to stay. If he does, I'll welcome him with open arms. If not…I'll be left saying good bye again. Good bye to another piece of my life, just like my father. I'll be left alone again just like before and nothing will have changed. Everything will be as it once was and I'll be left without my angel in the darkness. I'll be left without its light-
I looked up from my journal for a moment, my eyes falling upon the picture beside me.
-Perhaps someday, I'll be able to tell him the truth, but for now, I'll just have to wait. Wait for him to make his own decision in this mess of memories and let him decide if he's willing to finally walk away from his past and step into his future. I know that I already have and it's the only reason that I'm here.-
T
"Cleared the debris away, set the torches like you asked…we can get down now," Stefan announced.
"What is that?" Bonnie asked, watching as Stefan set his shovel down by a machine of sorts.
"It's everything I need to destroy them," Stefan answered, standing back up.
He moved forward, handing Sheila a lighter.
"Are you sure Damon will come back with her?" Sheila questioned, referring to Elena.
She was answered with a loud whistle, turning to look behind her.
"Brother. Witches," Damon greeted curtly, his steps fast as he strutted forward in determination.
He wanted to get this over with.
"Everything okay?" Stefan asked, afraid that perhaps something had happened to further his bad mood.
"I just wanna get this over with," Elena sighed. "Are we ready?"
"I guess so," Bonnie replied quietly, glancing over at Damon.
She couldn't help, but feel like this was wrong, a feeling of dread filling her.
T
I placed my pencil down between the pages, pushing my journal away. I picked the picture up from beside me, leaning back and looking it over. My father smiled back at me, eyes shining. He was happy.
T
"Air," Sheila called out, lighting the material on the stick. "Earth. Fire."
"Water," Bonnie finished, holding it out to her grandmother.
Sheila took it from her, sprinkling it on the ground.
"That's it, just water from the tap?" Elena questioned, watching from her spot between Damon and Stefan.
"As opposed to what?" Sheila asked.
"I just figured maybe it would have to be blessed or mystical or something," Elena shrugged.
Sheila merely chuckled at her comment, offering a friendly smile as she bent down to pick up the book.
"What's that?" Stefan asked, watching as Damon pulled out a packet of blood, shining a light on it.
"It's for Katherine," Damon answered, unwinding the plastic cord as he got it ready, checking it. "I gotta have something to get her going."
He then looked over toward Elena.
"Unless your girl is offering up a vein tap."
Stefan sighed at Damon's comment, looking back toward Sheila and Bonnie.
"Admit it," Damon whispered, before talking in his normal voice. "You can't wait to get rid of me."
Stefan shook his head, staring at the fire, before turning his gaze back to his brother.
"I can't wait to get rid of you," he replied.
"Mm," Damon nodded, the corner of his mouth pulling upward.
"We're ready," Bonnie announced, looking up at everyone.
T
I leaned back, unwinding my headphones from around my i-pod. I shoved them in my ears, settling down against the pillows, flipping through my selection. Somewhere in Between by Lifehouse flooded my ears, my eyes closing as I turned my head into my pillow, my arm resting over my stomach.
This is over my head
But underneath my feet
'Cause by tomorrow morning
I'll have this thing beat
And everything will be back to the way that it was
I wish that it was just that easy
I could feel myself dozing off as I laid there, my body slowly shutting down.
'Cause I'm waiting for tonight
Then waiting for tomorrow
And I'm somewhere in between
What is real and just a dream…
T
The fire flared up around them as Bonnie and Sheila continued to chant, their language foreign.
"What are they saying?" Damon asked, looking over at his brother.
"Sounds Latin," Stefan answered.
"I don't think it's Latin," Elena voiced. "What's happening?" Elena asked, stepping back as the flames suddenly shot up fiercely.
A sudden crash met their ears, the sound of stone moving as the sealed door slowly slid open.
"It worked," Bonnie breathed, watching in wonder.
"Well, of course it worked," Sheila replied.
"Don't you have some fires to build?" Damon asked, looking over at his brother.
Stefan nodded, turning.
"I'm gonna get the gasoline. I'll be right back," he told Elena, quickly making his way out.
That left Damon, Elena, Bonnie, and Sheila.
"You ready?" Damon asked, gesturing toward Elena.
"What?"
"You think I'm gonna go in there by myself so you can seal me in?" he question, grabbing her and pulling her to him.
"Don't take her in," Sheila warned. "I'll bring the walls down."
"You'll bring the walls down if I don't," he pointed out. "You think I trust you?"
"As much as I trust you," she countered.
"Enough. Both of you," Elena ordered. "Look, he needs leverage. He needs to know that you're not going to shut the door when he gets inside. I get it," she sighed, glancing up at Damon. "I'll go," she told him.
"May I?" Damon asked, reaching forward and pulling the torch from the ground.
He turned back around, heading inside the tomb, Elena following behind him after giving Bonnie and Sheila a short nod that everything would be okay.
T
I felt like I was floating, Damon's arms wrapped around my waist. We were dancing, the music coming out in a slow, but steady beat. I couldn't help, but to smile up at him, my arms wrapping around his neck. He pulled me close, holding me against him.
"Damon…" I whispered.
"Dance with me," he smiled, leading me around the room, our bodies swaying to the sound of the music.
I allowed my head to rest against his chest, eyes closing. He continued to lead me around, my feet resting on top of his. Even with that, he easily lifted his feet, and me in doing so. Every step coming with practiced ease.
"I love you," I whispered.
"Say it again?"
"I love you, Damon," I replied, slowly lifting my head to look at him, my voice confident.
I saw the smile on his face, his eyes shining with affection, his hand reaching up and cupping my cheek.
"You're beautiful," he whispered, leaning down and slowly pressing his lips to mine.
I felt my eyes slide shut as I responded, running my hand through his hair. He pulled me closer, our chests touching, hearts beating.
"I love you…" I whispered.
T
"Where is she," Damon breathed, searching further inside the tomb.
He checked every corner, every wall. He was becoming frantic, hands shaking. He had to find her. He'd worked too hard, putting everything that he had into this, the last 145 years of his life.
"She's not here," he cried, kicking one of the corpses in frustration.
"Damon," Stefan called out.
"She's not here."
"What?" Stefan asked, brows furrowing.
"She not here!" Damon cried, throwing the bag of blood against the wall, the force causing it to splatter.
"That's impossible…" Stefan breathed out, mouth hanging open slightly.
"All this time…s-she's not even here!" Damon hissed, pulling at his hair, before punching the wall.
His shoulders shook as he stood there, face twitching.
"Damon, we need to get out of here," Stefan told him.
"It doesn't make sense, they locked her inside," he rambled, looking around.
"If we don't leave now, we're not getting out," Stefan said firmly, trying to get it through his head.
"How could she not be in here?" Damon breathed, eyes looking around frantically.
"It's not worth spending all eternity down here. She's not worth it," he tried, grabbing hold of Damon's arm.
"No!" he hissed, jerking back.
"Damon," Elena called, pushing forward through the dark.
She'd come back in to find them and bring them back. She wasn't about to let either of them get stuck in there.
"Please," she begged, her voice shaky.
She was scared for him, his brows furrowing as he stared at her. He felt himself calm a bit, biting back the urge to lash out at his situation. He knew that Stefan was right, he couldn't stay down there.
"Please, Damon," she whispered.
He took one final look around, Stefan's hand pressing lightly against his back. He took a step forward, following her out, Stefan behind him.
T
Bonnie followed her grandmother, watching as she stumbled, her strength deserting her.
"Hey, let me help you."
"Oh, I'm fine. You don't need to coddle me, baby," Sheila said softly, smiling at her granddaughter.
"It was a big spell, Grams," Bonnie voiced, brows furrowing. "I could tell it took a lot out of you."
"I'll be fine," Sheila promised, giving her a reassuring smile.
T
Slowly, Anna pushed open the door to the hotel room, gingerly guiding her mother inside. She was tired, they both were. She was filled with shock though as she flipped the lights on, finding Damon sitting over in the corner. The look on his face told her that he was upset, something that always proved dangerous when regarding Damon.
"You knew Katherine wasn't there," he drawled.
"You wouldn't have helped me," Anna said quietly.
Within seconds, Damon was out of his car, his hand at Pearl's throat. He was choking her.
"No! No!" Anna screamed.
"Why do you get a happy ending?" Damon shook.
"Damon, please, you wouldn't have helped me. You know that you wouldn't," Anna cried frantically.
"Why do you get it and I don't?" he asked, eyes stinging.
"The guard," Pearl breathed. "The one at the church, the one that locked us in," she began, gripping at his wrist. "She promised to turn him. He was obsessed with her.
"No. Damon," Anna cried, pulling at his arm, but he remained adamant.
"She had him under her spell…like everybody else," Pearl gasped.
"Please," Anna cried.
Damon stared at her in disbelief, dropping her.
"He let her go."
Anna turned to Damon, holding her mother in her arms.
"Last I saw her…was Chicago…1983,"Anna choked out. "She knew where you were, Damon."
He felt his breath catch in his throat, lip quivering faintly.
"She didn't care," Anna imparted, shaking her head.
She'd finally told him the truth. He deserved that much and she knew it. No one deserved to go through something like that, not even Damon.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
Damon stood there for a moment, looking between Anna and her mouth as he took in the information. He felt as though his heart were breaking, sadness overwhelming him. Slowly, he made his way to the door, opening it. He looked back for a moment, swallowing the lump in his throat. There was nothing left for him. What he originally thought, he found to be a lie.
"There's nothing left," he whispered, slowly sliding down into the seat of his car, his hands falling into his lap.
He could feel the wetness of his eyes, looking up into the rear view mirror. He reached up, touching his eyes with the tip of his fingers, pulling it back to find tears. Blue eyes stared back at him, the vision laced with sorrow. He couldn't rid himself of what he was feeling, realizing that he had no place in Mystic Falls anymore.
Slowly, he pulled his keys from his pocket, feeling them slip between his fingers. A sigh escaped his lips as he leaned forward to pick them up, his fingers brushing something smooth. His brows furrowed, fingers wrapping around said object. He rose an eyebrow in question as he pulled it into his lap. It was the little gift Kali had given him a while back, still unwrapped. He'd nearly forgotten that he'd had it, fingers trailing lightly over the paper.
"Aw, no gift for me?"
"Nope."
"You're so mean to me."
He could practically hear the sound of her laugh as his fingers brushed the small ribbon, tugging it loose. He watched as it easily slid off and into his lap.
"Ah, so you're buying me boxers then?"
"Yes, Damon, I'm buying you boxers. In fact, they've got these lovely little hearts on them."
"Oh, nice. I hope they're fashionable."
He pulled at the wrapping, the sound of paper tearing meeting his ears. He peeled it away, tossing into the passengers seat.
"Hopefully, this finds you in a better mood than I."
Her words echoed in his head as he opened the case, a pair of sunglasses resting inside. His brows furrowed slightly, pulling the black Ray-Ban's from their home, fingers brushing over the rim. They were smooth. He realized that she'd actually gone through the trouble of buying them for him, knowing full well that he could have bought his own to replace the ones that Stefan broke. He couldn't remember the last time someone had done something like that for him. He hadn't even thanked her for them.
T
Footsteps echoed faintly through the room, the door closing and locking. Damon pushed himself forward, turning the handle of her bedroom door. It creaked lightly as it opened, leaving Damon standing there. His eyes slid over her unconscious form, her head tilted to the side, arm resting over her stomach. He could hear music, the song filling his head. She had a book laying out, a picture resting in her hand.
Damon was quiet as he made his way forward, raking the small book toward him. It was filled with her handwriting, his name popping up in a few places. He allowed himself to read over a few lines before closing it, setting it over on the night stand.
Slowly, he crawled up onto the bed, kicking his shoes off. His jacket was already forgotten in the living room, leaving him in his shirt, the chill of the room sending a faint shiver through him. He could feel emotions rushing back to him as he settled himself beside her, running a finger of her arm, before carefully sliding his arms around her waist. He buried his face in her hair, eyes watering again. He needed to feel her against him, feel the warmth of her body. He needed that comfort, that one thing that seemed constant at the moment.
"Damon…" she murmured, slowly turning her head, the little headphone falling from her ear and onto the bed.
You are the strength…
That keeps me walking.
She peeled her eyes open tiredly, glancing over her shoulder. Their eyes met, her brows furrowing together. she hadn't expect him to come back or that she'd even see him again. She'd feared that he'd be long gone from her life now, from Mystic Falls
"You're still here," she whispered, reaching her hand up to touch his face.
It was real. He was really there in front of her.
You are the hope…
That keeps me trusting.
She smiled tiredly, stroking his cheek with her thumb, his eyes closing in contentment. His skin was smooth to the touch, with only a slight chill.
"I thought you weren't coming back…"
"Please, don't talk," he whispered quietly, nuzzling her shoulder.
She just gave him a small smile, brushing her fingers over the front of his hair. In her eyes, he was beautiful.
You are the light…
To my soul.
"I'm glad…you came back," she breathed, fighting the pull of sleep.
"Shh…" he hushed lightly, resting his chin in the crook of her neck.
He could feel her relax against him.
You are my purpose.
You're everything.
"Just lay here with me," he breathed, kissing her jaw softly, before pulling back.
He could already see her falling back asleep, the music echoing its melody in her mind.
And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
He found a small smile pulling on his lips, her eyes turning toward his sluggishly with the slight turn of her head.
"Damon?" she whispered.
"Hm?"
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?
"Promise me…you'll be here when I wake up?" she asked, eyes fogging over with sleep.
You calm the storms.
And you give me rest.
You hold me in your hands.
You won't let me fold.
"I promise," he nodded, pulling her closer, his arms hugging her body to his.
You steal my heart.
And you take my breath away.
They laid there, legs twisted, hands intertwined. One of her hands gripped his arm lightly, while his held her close. He had absolutely no desire to let go, her neck bare to his sights. He held no hunger, save for want of comfort, something concrete. They fit perfectly together beside one another.
Would you take me in?
Take me deeper now.
"I'll always be here," he whispered, brushing her cheek with his own.
In this moment, Damon knew, he knew where her loyalty was. He knew where his should lay. His heart had led him to it.
And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you…
Alright everyone, that was chapter 17. I REALLY hope that I did a good job with it? Let me know what you think?
What do you want to happen next with Damon and Kali? Will Jason show up and try and ruin everything or will someone else? How will Kali take things with Katherine? Has Damon finally let go? What will Stefan and Elena have to say about Damon and Kali? What will Alaric do? What about Bonnie?
REVIEW PEOPLE! YOU DON'T NEED AN ACCOUNT TO DO SO! Answer some of my questions and give me ideas, okay?