Ch. 18

Damon needed a plan. Breaking Elena's heart along with his own had been difficult enough but now he had to find a way to pick up the pieces. What must she think of him? A hollow man with no soul? She had to have known him better than that. Worse, he was sure she knew him better than anyone else.

He stood pacing back and forth in his office willing himself to follow her; to find her and wipe away her tears. To tell her he was a jackass and that this was all because of his father, and yet sadly it wasn't.

All Giuseppe had asked was for him to get rid of her. He'd come up with this evil plot all by himself. Now he just had to come up with the rest of it.

Putting his hand through his rugged hair once more he contemplated Elena's trip to Paris. He could barely bare the thought of her going alone. Just the thought of her by herself crying right now was killing him. He had to do something…but what?

Racking his brain he suddenly came to a gut retching conclusion. She'd asked if she was really that bad for Stefan. What if she still loved Stefan? What if he had in fact put more stock in her feelings for him than she actually held?

"Good going moron…" he chided to himself, stomping to the bar at the back of his office and filling another tumbler with bourbon.

"Bottoms up." He said aloud to no one, as he downed the first glass of many. However long it took eventually he came up with a plan. Stefan would go to Paris with Elena. If his life was going to go down in flames, he might as well have it go out with a blaze of glory.

Elena couldn't believe how much she had cried. All the way home tears had silently fallen down her cheeks and now she found herself back at the mansion, attempting to swallow what was left of her dignity.

Exiting the cab, she paid the lovely man who'd had to listen to her cries double and headed towards the garage. She needed to put distance behind her and Damon, and Paris was of course the first step in doing that. Approaching the landing of the stone steps outside their apartment, Elena stopped. She noticed a light on in the faraway estate. It seemed as though the billiard room was open this evening. It used to always be closed to guests, and it troubled Elena. She wondered if by some happenstance Damon had come home, and gone to his original place of solitude. The billiard room was in fact his sanctuary at home, and she suddenly found her feet leading her to the main house. Unfortunately when she arrived at the open French doors the other Salvatore brother was the one leaning across the table playing pool. Stefan had miraculously gotten rid of the cane and the robe and now stood before her in fitted jeans and a quarter sleeved black shirt. The V-neck made his muscular chest appear more underneath his collar, and his boots maintained the classic look. If she'd been any younger she would have drooled at the sight of him, as it was the Salvatore boys' effect on her had grown weary. Music filled the room, a concerto that reminded her of the night they danced. She chose to not read too much into it. It was a very common song for him to be playing after all. Although she couldn't suppress the orneriness inside of her not to quote his mother's favorite saying to him.

"And he shall have music wherever he goes."

"Hey there." He said, hitting a striped ball into the corner pocket and standing up so he could greet her.

"Hi," she said, the electricity filling the air. Reminders of their kiss were not far from her mind as she added, "you're better."

"Yes. I'm feeling much more myself this evening. The stitches are to be removed tomorrow. Where are you coming back from?" he asked, his voice lined with intrigue.

"I'm just coming back from town." She stated, attempting to keep her emotions in check. Having a breakdown in front of Stefan she knew would not solve her problems.

"It's been a rather long evening. I thought we were going to talk." He said, as he strode towards her his hand grasping his drink. It looked to be like champagne and she suddenly wondered if she had been on his mind all afternoon. The thought baffled her and she smugly smiled to herself relishing in the fact that she could make Stefan Salvatore sweat. Who would have thought?

"I was hoping to have a stitch removal party, we could go down to…"

He said his voice implying he wanted her to be with him.

"I was with Damon." She said directly. Her words implying everything Stefan needed to know. She assumed as he took a drink from his glass that he realized his brother had been in fact preoccupying his time with his own personal conquest. Silence passed between them, until Stefan stated,

"You know, of all the girls I've danced with, and there have been a few, you're the only girl I've ever danced with once."

"Twice." Elena said correcting him and smiling her body leaning into the doorway.

"What? Twice? Are you sure? I'm pretty sure I'd remember."

"Well I was eight. You were having dancing lessons, and I was homework." She admitted, smiling at the memory.

Stefan smiled with her, "Well," he said setting his glass down on the pool table, "We could always have another."

"Stefan," Elena said, holding up her hand to let him know she wasn't interested. Stefan stepped back and leaned against the pool table in wonder. No one had ever seemed to stop him before. "I'm leaving town Stefan." She said.

Attempting to pad his ego he replied, "I think I knew that."

"I won a ticket to Paris." She stated.

"Congratulations, one way?"

"Yes come to think of it."
"Traveling alone?" he asked, the air was charged with electricity. She knew it was his way of asking if she was going with Damon. But she simply couldn't entertain the thought. It hurt too much.

"Yes." She said, fighting back tears as they began to resurface to her eyes.

"You know you can be honest with me. I've always been honest with you." He stated, coming towards her. "We both know who you'd rather have had kiss you this morning. Something tells me it wasn't me." He said his hands lifting up to frame her face. She allowed it but only because she knew her heart this time. This time she wouldn't let him kiss her. When he bent forward she was sure she would have to smack him, until his lips landed on her forehead.

"Have a safe trip." He said simply letting her go and exited the room behind her. Elena smiled knowing it was the perfect way to say goodbye.

The next morning Rose arrived to work to a startling discovery. Damon Salvatore on the couch of his office, the door standing ajar and open for the whole world to see. Hurrying forward she entered his office and knelt before him. He reeked of bourbon and his shirt was unbuttoned.

"Damon? Mr. Salvatore!" she stated harshly, attempting to rouse him. It did no good. Standing she walked over to the secret door, opened it and found the sink in the bathroom. Filling the toothbrush cup with water she returned to he couch and admittedly splashed water over her admistrators face.

"What in the hell?" Damon asked sitting up.

"Boss. You look like hell. What do you need?" Rose asked blankly. Damon and her had always had a more sibling relationship than a cooperate one, and she knew if Senior Salvatore were to see him like this they would both be fired.

"A towel." He barked, as she pulled one out of her other hand and gave it to him.

Standing he was finally able to get his bearings and realize what needed to be done.

"Rose, I want you to call Seattle and Tokyo and tell them to stop construction. Then I want you to take this ticket and transfer the name to Stefan Salvatore. I need to see my father as soon as he gets in."

A troubled looking Rose took the ticket in her hands as she heard Stefan's voice bellow from the hallway.

"Damon!" he shouted, alerting the whole building that he was there, and not very happy with his elder brother at all.

Entering the room, Rose attempted to make it professional.

"Mr. Salvatore how good to see you. Would you like something? Coffee? No. Okay." She said and exited the room as quickly as she could.

Damon stood like a fool in a half stuffed shirt and stubble attempting to piece together what his brother could possibly want from him. Instead of guessing he chose to lead with,

"I've got a surprise for you little brother,"

"Yeah, I do too." Stefan replied as instead of delight Damon was met with Stefan's fist across his jaw. Damon, not anticipating the blow fell on his ass to the floor utterly confused and angry at the immediate assault.

"I've watched you do business for years but I thought there was a limit to how sick you could…how could you, Damon?! How could you do what you did to me and to her? How'd you think that you could go this far? What the hell makes you think you have the right?" Stefan asked appalled by his elder brother for the first time in his life.

"Habit." Damon said, his voice cutting Stefan at the knees. Tucking in his shirt Damon went to his desk and fished out an extra tie. Sweeping it around his neck he continued.

"Listen Stefan, I tried something and it didn't go as planned. I mean it worked but it didn't really work. I want you to go to Paris today…" he said, his voice lined with every emotion he had. Anger, hurt, resentment, loss, guilt, regret…it all intertwined to say what he wanted to say. Elena deserved better. Better than him.

"With Elena."
Stefan's face fell and he suddenly looked perplexed. "What?" he asked dumbfounded.

By means of explanation Damon looked at Stefan and stated, "This was a business tactic, but it got out of hand. Somehow I lost my focus on what needed to be done. I know I made a mess of everything but I know it can be made right. I manipulated her. I confuse her. But she's loved you all her life. You're what she really wants. You're all she's ever wanted. Go with her its not too late. Things will work out. She'll make you happy. I don't want her to have to leave here alone." Damon said, his heart on his sleeve.

Stefan's surprising response to all of this was, "What about Bill and the merger?"

Damon sat, the words sinking into his brain. He placed his head in his hands and breathed. Above him Stefan said, "You'd blow a million dollars for this?"

"I'd blow a billon."

"I see." Stefan said, as Damon looked up to see realization dawn on him.

"Get going." Damon spat, "Go on, you'll miss the plane."

Regrettably taking his elder brothers advice Stefan left the office. Although after the door shut behind him he made other plans.

"Ms. Rose, I need to see you in my office immediately." He stated walking out farther into the foyer that held four adjacent offices.

"Um… you wouldn't mind telling me where it is would you?" he asked.

"Of course not Stefan. This way." She said leading him into the office closest to his fathers.

Stefan smiled looking at his office, and knowing he could finally do something worthwhile here. He was going to save this merger, his marriage, and possibly his brother's love life all in one day, and it wasn't even nine o'clock yet.

AUTHORS NOTE*****

Final chapter to come next. Oh I do appreciate you all! Keep reading!

~iHeart1202