"So how did Jeremy get your number, anyways?" Elena asked what felt like the thousandth question, leaning back on the porch swing where she was sitting. Damon was next to her, and even though they had been locked in an embrace for about ten minutes, he now sat as far away from her as possible.
She watched his index finger trace the lips of the flask that he had been drinking out of. When he didn't answer, Elena guessed what she had assumed for the last two years.
"You gave him your new number before you left, didn't you?" She asked, a smile playing around her lips. She knew he wouldn't just leave without giving someone a way to contact him in case a new war settled over Mystic Falls. And as stupid and selfish as it sounded, Elena had continually wondered when something would happen so that the world would deliver him back to her.
Damon shrugged and took another swig, leaning his head on his hand. Elena noticed a braided leather band tied around his wrist, and wondered exactly when Damon had started wearing accessories.
When he opened his mouth, Elena knew he was going to change the subject. "So, 20 huh? In one year, you can legally buy alcohol." He said, waggling his eyebrows and gesturing to the flask in his hand.
Elena scoffed, "I guess. Not that I really need to, I have Caroline for that." She thought of the time she went to the liquor store with her blond best friend, filling the buggy up with assorted booz and Caroline's pupils contracting when the worker asked for her I.D.
He made a mock, disgusted look. "Ugh, Caroline. I'm so glad I got here after she left. Not to mention my brother." He shivered.
She rolled her eyes, not buying it. "Whatever. I know you're just dying to see the whole motley crew."
Damon was silent for a moment, then raised his eyes and let them linger over her. This time, Elena was the one to shiver. "Speaking of my brother." He cleared his throat. "Is he still the light of your life? Fire of your loins? Does he-"
"I get it." She interrupted, his references towards her and Stefan making her uncomfortable. "And yeah, I guess."
"You guess?" He asked, quirking up an eyebrow.
"I mean, of course. Things are great." She corrected, hoping the doubtful look in his eyes would go away. It didn't.
"Uh huh. Whatever you say." He concluded, then stood up. As soon as he did, the cold air that Elena had been studiously ignoring hit her hard.
"Where are you going?" She immediately asked, knowing her voice sounded desperate but still hoping it didn't.
"I should get going. You know, before my brother catches wind that I'm here. I heard news travels fast in small towns." He whispered as if the term was new to him. Elena shot up, getting dizzy for a moment but ignoring it.
"But you just got here! I mean, I thought-"
"You thought what, Elena?" He asked softly, staring intently down at the flask as he screwed the cap back on. "Thought I was back for good? I came to wish you happy birthday, because your punk little brother wouldn't stop calling me for days. That's all."
"'That's all'?" She repeated. "You drove God knows how many miles just to wish me happy birthday and then leave? That doesn't sound like you at all."
"Don't talk like you know me, Elena. You never have, never will. End of story." He suddenly snapped, and Elena felt like he had just slapped her in the face. He started walking over to his car, which still looked exactly the same and brought up all sort of painful, nostalgic memories inside of her.
"Fine!" She called, suddenly angry. "Just run away like you did last time. Whatever you're running away to, I hope it's better than being here!" She continued, not really knowing what she was yelling about but knowing that it felt good. She suddenly thought about the bracelet on his arm, and wondered who gave it to him. Her eyes teared up and she turned around, wanting to take all the pills she had and pass out in her bed. When she did, he was in front of her.
"I'm not running away." His hands cupped her neck, and then her face. Damon's hands burned into her skin, something she hadn't felt in a very long time. "I'm keeping my promise." He murmured so low that she could barely make it out. She looked up at him, confused. He didn't explain, and she felt his lips press into her forehead. Her eyes fluttered close.
He sighed into her skin. "Goodbye, Elena." She felt him say against her, and then his car was revving up and disappearing around the corner.
She doesn't know how long she stood there, his words echoing in her head and his touch a ghost on her skin. Eventually, she became aware that her fingers were on the verge of frostbite and she turned around to stomp inside.
Jeremy was sitting on the stairs. He took a look at her face and looked away. "You okay?"
"No." She answered immediately, her voice hard as she marched up the stairs. At last minute, she spun around. "Why would you think bringing him back here was a good idea?"
"I... wanted to do something nice for you. Something that would, I don't know, bring some life back into you? And it worked, I guess."
"How?!" She screeched.
"You're angry." He replied, a smile on his lips. "You haven't been angry in a long time. You haven't really been anything in a long time." Jeremy sighed, then stood up and walked past her to his room. A moment later, she heard Black Ops start up.
Elena felt her blood boil, her cheeks redden and her eyes water, all tell-tale things that happened when she got angry. And Jeremy was right, she hadn't felt this much in a long time. In exactly two years, to be exact.
"You're still having back pains, Elena?" Meredith asked her, her hand feeling around on Elena's back. Elena pretended to wince, and shrunk away from the doctor's hand.
"Yeah, they've gotten worse, it seems like." Elena said, letting her voice mimic the way Caroline's got when she was acting in the theater class she had taken with her at the local University.
Meredith frowned. "I want you to have another x-ray. I know the last one came up negative, but there might be something we missed."
Internally, Elena groaned, annoyed. She didn't let it show. "Whatever you think, Meredith. I told Stefan I'd meet up with him in about twenty minutes, but if-"
"We can do it another time, then." Meredith intercepted, smiling in a motherly way at Elena and picking up her script pad. Finally.
"I'm gonna raise the dosage, so you should only have to take one or two for the pain. And hide them from that brother of your's." Meredith reprimanded scribbling on the paper before ripping it off and handing it to Elena.
"Of course. I don't know what's gotten into him, lately. He's been clean for years." She replied, taking the paper and tucking it safely in her pocket.
"He's been through a lot; you both have." Meredith sighed, getting up to walk Elena to the lobby. "And I want to see you back here next week for that x-ray."
"Of course!" Elena said, smiling thankfully at Meredith before rushing out to her car.
The prescription she had hadn't lasted nearly as long as the other ones had, so in her panicked state she had blamed it on Jeremy. And yes, she felt horrible about it. But it wasn't as if people wouldn't believe her. He had, after all, spent an entire year known as a stoner/pill-popper and she had always been just innocent Elena Gilbert.
Of course there was no such thing as back pains. There had been, at first. She had slipped and fallen on ice in front of the Grill, and when her back ached the next day, she had ignored Stefan's offer of blood and went to Meredith. The doctor had prescribed her twenty small hydrocodone pills, with one refill, and told her to come back if the pain persisted. And naturally, that's how it began.
And also naturally, Elena hated thinking it.
Thirty minutes later, when the orange bottle was safely stored in the glove compartment in her car and she had three pills going down her throat, she parked outside the boarding house. This was the first time she was to see Stefan after Damon's impromptu visit, and she just hoped he wouldn't be able to tell that something was wrong with her.
Elena scoffed to herself. Doubtful, she thought, when has ever been able to tell something's wrong with me?
Elena hated thinking bad thoughts about her boyfriend, but it had happened more and more lately, and for the most stupid reasons.
She was in the middle of making herself feel peppy when she spotted something blue. The garage door was partially open, and she saw a robin's egg blue bumper, with a black hood. She knew that car.
Excitement suddenly rose up inside her and she frantically dug for her phone in the bottom of her bag. There was just one text, from this morning shortly after she had left for the doctor. It was from Stefan.
Damon's home.
She looked up at her reflection in her car's rear view mirror. Her eyelids were droopy, her pupils looked empty and her skin was pale. She looked high as hell and even if she knew Stefan couldn't tell, she knew Damon would without a doubt.
A/N: Hey guys! Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed, favorited and followed. It made me feels loads better about posting this story, and I'm glad to know that even if a lot of you aren't into angst, you're giving this a chance. Please tell me what you think, whether it's good or bad, and I'm always open to ideas. I'm actually really excited for this story!