She's on her way back but this one is still fairly angsty. She'll make some progress the next chapter, this will be over shortly. Anyways, I hope you enjoy, and as always let me know what you think.
When Elena's alarm went off Monday morning, she turned it off and went back to sleep. There was no way she was leaving the safety of Damon only one full day after being attacked. She wasn't ready to even think about leaving his side yet, she knew above all else that he would protect her from any harm.
"Not going to work?" Damon clarified, when he opened his eyes to see her snuggling back into the pillows.
"No chance in hell. I got attacked somewhere around 24 hours ago. I am not going to work." she said vehemently.
"Speaking of that. Are you okay?" he asked tenderly, as he ran a hand down her bare back. It seemed to him like she had used sex to try to get rid of what happened to her. But he knew it was still there, he could see it behind her eyes. They weren't as bright and full of life as they were a few days ago. That biker had taken something from her, and he was going to try his damnedest to make sure she got it back.
"I'm fine. The bruises hurt. How is it possible that the bruises on my face are getting uglier and uglier each passing day?" she asked annoyed at the painful splotches on her face.
"Well bruises always get worse before they get better. The bruises are still reddish now, but in a couple they'll turn into the lovely blueish blackish color In around a week it'll start turning a green or yellow color, and then in about two weeks it'll turn light brown or yellowish." he said.
"Two weeks until I'm healed? I can't take two weeks off work." she exclaimed.
"You don't have to. You can wear makeup if necessary, or you can tell everyone what happened. Worst case scenario you can wear sunglasses at work." he said.
"Fine. Even so, I'm not sure when I'll be ready to go back to work. By the way how do you know so much about bruises?" she asked.
"Believe it or not, I took a bit of a medical course years ago. But eventually I figured out being a doctor wasn't for me, and I was much happier being a playboy, that I quit. Before I left, I got a pretty good understanding of bruising." he explained.
"Oh. There are still many facets that I don't know about you." Elena said staring at him curiously.
"Yes there is. I am an enigma. You will never truly know everything about me." Damon said.
"I plan to learn it all though over the next several years." she spoke softly.
"I look forward to it." he whispered back.
"But now I just want to go back to sleep. I'm in pain and I just want to close my eyes." she said.
"Alright. I'm going to go pick up breakfast for when you get up." he said kissing her forehead, carefully avoiding the bruises surrounding her eyes.
"Okay." she said.
"Are you going to be okay being here alone for a few minutes?" he asked concerned.
"I'm here, I feel safe here. Just don't be too long. That makes me nervous." she said.
"I'll be quick, and I'll lock the door. I don't think this door has been locked since the last time a human lived here." he said.
"Thank you." Elena said as she closed her eyes and let sleep take her again.
Grayson Gilbert walked up the sidewalk towards the newspaper, intending to stop in and see his daughter. He whistled as he walked and opened the door walking to the reception desk.
"Can I help you?" the bored woman at the front desk asked.
"I am just here to visit Elena Gilbert." he said.
"Ah yes Doctor Gilbert. As always you can head on back." the girl said.
"Thank you." he said as he started walking back.
"Just always check with Dennis before you go see her. Elena is always off running errands for him." the woman said.
"Thank you." Grayson repeated as he walked through the cubicles until he came to Elena's. There was nothing even indicating that she had even come to work that day. There was no coffee cup on the desk, and the computer monitor was black. He walked by confused and knocked on Dennis's door.
"Come in." he said. Grayson walked in and smiled at Dennis.
"Morning Dennis." Grayson said.
"Oh good morning Gray. What can I do for you?" he asked.
"I came in to see my daughter. Is she here?" he asked.
"Elena called in sick today. I do hope she's okay. It's going to be a busy week as there is so much going on around town. I really need her help this week." Dennis said worriedly.
"Elena is never sick. This better not have anything to do with Damon." Grayson muttered.
"I thought you and Damon were getting along now?" Dennis inquired.
"Oh we are. He's not nearly the vile womanizer that I thought he was. He's actually quite likable, and my daughter loves him, so it's a win-win. But if he starts getting her to skip work so she can stay with him, then there will be trouble." Grayson explained.
"Do you think Elena would skip work?" Dennis asked.
"I wouldn't think so. But you never know. I can't even say I actually know my daughter anymore. I'll tell you what, I'll head over to her apartment, and if she's not there, I'll try Damon's. I will make sure that she's actually sick and not skipping." Grayson assured Dennis.
"I honestly have a good feeling about Elena. I don't think she'd skip work. I think she really likes this job." Dennis said, feeling the need to defend Elena.
"I believe that too. I just need to make sure." Grayson stated.
"Alright. I can understand that. I'll see you soon Gray." Dennis said.
"You sure will. If she's actually sick I'll leave you alone, if she's skipping, you will see both me and Elena in your office right shortly." he said.
"Alright." Dennis said as Grayson walked out.
Damon came home with pancakes from the Grill, and urged Elena downstairs to eat them.
"Yummy yummy pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream... you know you can't resist." he called upstairs.
"Fine, I'm coming." she groaned as she trudged down the stairs towards the kitchen.
"Here you are beautiful. Enjoy." he said handing her the plate.
"Just to spite you, I am going to sit in front of the TV and eat. I know how you hate anyone eating around or near your beloved Persian rugs." she said.
"Slop on them Elena and you will be in trouble." he warned her.
"Sure I will." she said as she sat down on the couch.
"Ah who am I kidding?" he said shaking his head and going to sit down on the couch beside her.
"So I'm not in trouble?" she clarified.
"Sadly no. I can't even pretend to be mad at you right now." he confessed.
"Good to know. So basically if I want to do anything bad, now would be the time to do it?" she clarified
"So it would seem." he said dryly. They sat together while Elena ate, until Damon heard tires in the driveway.
"Your dad is here." he said surprised as Grayson's sudden appearance.
"I don't want to see him. I don't want anyone to see me like this." she said frantically.
"Don't worry. I'll get rid of him." he said getting up and walking over to the door. He opened it before Grayson even had the chance to knock.
"What can I do for you Grayson?" he asked keeping his body firmly between the door and him.
"Is my daughter here Damon?" Grayson asked.
"She is." Damon answered not willing to give anything away.
"I need to speak with her." Grayson said.
"I'm sorry Gray, but she doesn't want to see anyone." Damon said with a trace of real apology in his voice.
"My daughter skipped work today Damon. That isn't like Elena. I need to know what's going on." Grayson demanded.
"She's fine Gray. She just doesn't want to see anyone." Damon insisted.
"I need to see her. Now you have me worried about her. What happened to her Damon?" Grayson almost begged. He was worried to death that something harmed his little girl.
"Believe me when I say that she'll be alright. She's strong. She just doesn't want to see anyone right now." Damon insisted again.
"Please Damon. I'll never ask you for anything again. I need to know that my baby girl is alright. Did someone harm her?" he asked.
"Yes." Damon answered.
"Please Damon." Grayson begged.
"I would love to help you Gray. I really would, but I can't. I promised Elena that I wouldn't let anyone see her." Damon said.
"I'm her father Damon. I need to see for my own eyes that she's alright." he tried again. Damon sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"It's alright Damon." Elena said from the living room.
"Fine. Come on in." Damon said reluctantly, and opened the door wider. He led him into the living room where Elena was curled up on the couch and the plate was sitting on the coffee table. Damon immediately took his spot right beside Elena again and she laid her head on his shoulder as Grayson took the seat across from them so he could look at his daughter.
"Oh my God. Elena." he said aghast.
"I know. This is why I didn't want anyone to see me." she said softly.
"I'm sorry sweetheart. This is why you called in sick to work. What happened to you?" he asked.
"You heard about the biker scenario right?" she asked.
"I did. That's why I am in speaking terms with your boyfriend." he told her.
"Right. Well the other biker knew that Damon did something to his friend so he took it out on me. Damon took care of it the only way he could." Elena explained.
"You killed him didn't you?" Grayson clarified.
"I did, and I'm not sorry. I would do it again in a heartbeat." he said solemnly.
"I believe you, and I don't have an issue with that. You killed to protect my little girl." Grayson said admirably.
"Yes I did." Damon agreed.
"I went to the newspaper to see you today and you weren't there. I was there to invite you and Damon over for dinner tonight. Your mother insists. She's even making your favourite stuffed cheeseburgers for dinner." he said.
"I can't." she said softly.
"Please Elena. It will only be your mother and me there and Damon. No one will judge you." Grayson insisted.
"I know that. But I'm scared to leave the house." she admitted with a tear falling from her face.
"I will be with you. You know I would never let anything happen to you." Damon said pulling her closer to him if that was possible.
"I know that. Am I ever going to get over this?" she sobbed.
"I'll leave now. Just please try to get her to come home for dinner. I have to tell her mother what happened, and she will think the worst until she sees Elena is technically on her feet." Grayson said to Damon, while Elena cried.
"I'll try. What time should we be there at?" he asked.
"6 should be good." Grayson decided.
"Sounds good." Damon said.
"I'll leave now. I'll see you at 6. Lena, you're going to be okay. I promise." Grayson said before walking out.
"I really don't want to go tonight." she whispered a few hours later.
"Do you want your mom to worry?" he asked.
"No." she sighed.
"Then lets go. We'll eat, assure your mom that you're okay, then we can leave. I promise." he told her.
"Okay. You're not going to leave me right?" she asked.
"No. I'll be by your side the entire night." he promised as he took her hand and laced their fingers together. She nodded her head and took a deep breath.
"We better go then. I just want to get this over with." she said picking her dark sunglasses up off the coffee table and putting them on, wincing when the glasses came into contact with her bruises.
"Okay. Just remember that I will be with you the entire time." he said.
"I just don't want them looking at me with pity. I don't want or need to be pitied. It happened, its done, and its going to take some time to get over, but that's how it goes. I don't want anyone's pity." she said emphatically.
"Let's just go. We'll eat dinner, and then I'll bring you home. But you have to consider maybe getting back to your life at some point. You can't hide here forever." he told her firmly.
"It's only been a few days Damon." she said dropping her gaze.
" I know that, but it's not going to get any better until you willingly walk out this door and live your life. If you don't start, then he wins." Damon told her.
"Okay. I'll try." she said refusing to let the asshole win.
"Good. I say let's give it an attempt tonight, and if it goes well you should let me drive you to work tomorrow." he said. She nodded her head slightly, so he took her hand and walked her out to his car. They drove to Elena's parents house in silence, neither knowing what to say to fill the tense silence. When they pulled up in front of the house, Elena could see her mom peering through the curtains, obviously waiting for them. The front door was open even before they were able to know and Miranda was pulling Elena into her embrace.
"Are you okay honey?" she asked hugging her daughter tight.
"I will be." Elena said reflexively, she tentatively wrapped her arms around her mom and hugged her back.
"Come on in. Dinner is almost ready." Miranda stated, stepping back from her daughter.
"It smells amazing Mrs Gilbert." Damon said, lacing his fingers through Elena's and pulling her towards the kitchen.
"Thank you Damon. It's nothing really. Just a casserole." she said blushing.
"It smells great." Damon assured her as he help a chair out for Elena to sink into.
As they ate, Damon leaned over and whispered "take off your glasses, stop hiding. You're beautiful even like this."
she sighed and pulled them off, exposing her reddened eyes.
"Oh my goodness Elena!" Miranda exclaimed. "Oh my baby girl, what's happened to you. I'm sorry that this happened to you." Miranda said pityingly.
"I told you this would happen." Elena hissed and stood up, fleeing the kitchen. He heard her walk out the front door slamming it on her way.
"I'm sorry about that." Damon said.
"It's alright. She's going through something horrible. This is just awful." Miranda said softly.
"She is. But she's strong. She doesn't want your pity." Damon said.
"Someone should go and get her." Grayson pointed out.
"We don't know where she is." Miranda noted.
"She's in my car." Damon answered, hearing her heartbeat outside.
"Oh. Well either way someone needs to speak with her." Miranda said.
"I'll do it. I know how to get through to her right now." Damon said.
"Okay. If you can try to get her to go back to work tomorrow." Grayson suggested.
"Well that was the plan, I'm not sure if it still is. I told her that if she doesn't start living again, then he wins." Damon told them.
"It's true." Grayson said shrugging his shoulders.
"Technically he can't win anything. He's dead. But the point is still there. But I have to go." he said standing up and shrugging into his leather jacket.
"Thanks for bringing her by. I hope she gets better soon." Miranda said.
"She will. Elena is so strong. She could get past almost anything." he assured Elena's mom.
"Okay. Goodbye." Miranda said as Damon walked out of the house and climbed behind the steering wheel of the blue Camaro. Elena was curled up on the seat with her head between her knees. He placed his hand on her back and rubbed it soothingly.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"Did you see the look in my moms face. She pities me. I don't want that." Elena said.
"Of course she does. No human with a heart would ever not feel bad for a girl in your situation. She's your mother Elena. It's only natural that she feels like that." Damon defended Miranda.
"I just want to go home." she said softly.
"Your apartment?" he asked softly.
"No. I can't go back there. Not yet. I want to go to your home." she said her eyes widening.
"You know, if you ever want to we can make it your home too. It wouldn't be too hard to get rid of the apartment." he offered.
"I'll think about it." she sighed.