Title: Miles To Home

Summary: For Elena Gilbert life couldn't be more perfect. She has the perfect life, perfect boyfriend, and headed towards the perfect dream job. Everything is going, well, perfectly. There's just one catch… her twin sister Katherine. When Katherine disrupts Elena's perfect life, she runs away to New York. It was the perfect plan… until she has to return home and face everything she ran away from; including her ex-boyfriend Damon. Based off the amazing trailer of the same name by the extremely talented minds and video editing talents of ElePatro (noralsel) and Caro (_LightToMyDark).

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being made from this work.

A/N: So, in case you haven't noticed Fanfiction has been having some problems with reviews and replies. I'm getting the email notifications but when I go to reply it says the review doesn't exist and even though the review count goes up the reviews aren't being shown. It was fixed for awhile but it seems the same thing is happening again. I've been manually replying to reviews where I can but if they were long reviews I decided to wait until I was able to read it all.

ANYWAYS… Keep reviewing because I LOVE hearing your thoughts and this chapter is dedicated to Caro because it's her birthday today! So send her some birthday wishes!

Ready for some Delena interaction...? And a little surprise...

The last thing I expected when I opened that door was to see Damon on the other side. We're both silent, in shock; neither of us quite knowing what to say. My eyes can't stop looking at him and the way his eyes are so intent on my face as if he's waiting for something has me feeling insecure. I can't be sure. All I know is the silence stretches on and I can't seem to stop myself from shaking.

What is he doing here?

Damon seems to get his bearing first because with a hesitant smile he says, "Okay, I'll start."

I nod because words still have escaped me. And seeing him here is bringing up too much. I'm remembering everything. Our first meeting. First conversation. First kiss. It carries on to thousands of moments that all weave together to create our story. But I also remember the pain.

"Stefan told me you were here." That explains a lot. "When I found out you were coming home I knew we needed to get this over with. Get the awkwardness out of the way so we don't ruin the wedding. And, well, imagining this moment has gotten me through these past few years."

He's staring at me again, waiting for something. "I… I don't know what you want me to say."

He reaches out for me, grabbing hold of my hands and it takes everything inside of me not to pull away. His touch is familiar, exhilarating. I remember what his hands feel like but these hands are rougher now, more calloused. Whatever he's been up to in our time apart has given him strong hands. And for an instant I imagine what they must feel like on the most sensitive parts of my skin.

"Just say you missed me as much as I missed you."

I meet Damon's eyes for moment and I see the pain and hope mingled within his bright blue eyes. He's trying to convey so much of himself in such a simple look but I'm not ready for it. Besides, I'm with someone else. I'm in love with someone else.

Sliding my hands from his, I take a step back. "I have a boyfriend. I'm with someone."

"That has nothing to do with it."

My eyes narrow. "It has everything to do with it."

And I feel like I should have a better argument.

He sighs and drops his hands, giving me my space. "I know why you did what you did." And I can tell this admission pains him. He's thinking back to that night and I am too. All the things we left unsaid and how one choice pulled us apart. I'm not sure how he does it—because his voice is loaded with pain—but he continues talking, crossing lines I'm trying to stay behind. "But this life you've created for yourself? It's a lie—an escape. It's not real. You know what's real? What you felt for me."

I take an involuntary step back, completely shocked at his bluntness. We haven't seen each other in years, haven't kept in touch. He knows nothing about my life, my choices. He only knows the one choice that kept us apart. Only knows what's made it back here through gossip and Caroline. Damon Salvatore may know the girl he loved in high school inside and out but he doesn't know the woman I've become. I'm happy with my life in New York. With Elijah.

How dare he imply that any of it isn't real?

And that what we were was real when in the end it wasn't enough.

But instead of launching into an argument and tearing open old wounds, I simply respond, "Those feelings are gone."

The pain is evident on his face. I see the way it changes him. The hope is dwindling from his face and I'm having flashbacks to the simple yet constant shake of his head when I told him that we were over. I can't look at him as my words take hold. Just like I couldn't look then.

Damon's jaw hardens as he firmly states, "You're just trying to cover the truth."

I huff and cross my arms. Did he seriously come all this way just to see if there was still a chance? "Is this why you came here, Damon?"

And I realize it's the first time I've said his name out loud in years. It creates an odd sensation within me. Walls that I've built up start to crumble, memories I've hidden become free. I can't bare the weight of it. I've spent so long hiding from that name afraid of emotions that came along with it, that it's like a dam has broken and now I'm suffocating from it.

Damon must see the pain in my face and misreads it because he backpedals. "No… Yes. Honestly I hoped that seeing me would bring it all back but it's not. I just want to talk. Have that conversation we should've had all those years ago."

I sniffle because I feel the beginning of tears prickling my eyes. I haven't let myself feel this pain and now it's all coming back. Those months of heartbreak where I wasn't sure I would survive; where all I wanted to was go back to him and work it out. But I couldn't. So I hid it all away and turned it off and built a life without him.

But now he's here.

My past and present are colliding and I'm not sure what that means for my well-planned future. Especially when I throw in my conversation with Dr. Laughlin about my lack of passion. It's becoming too much.

"What conversation?" I question, because it's all I can focus on right now. I can't get back to where he was leading things before. Instead I need to move past it. The quicker we settle whatever Damon wants to, the quicker I can help Caroline plan her wedding and get it all over with. Get back to my life.

He takes a deep breath. "The one we should've had when I found out what my father had to tell me. The one I had with your sister instead."

My eyes drop down at the memory. Our fight. His weird behavior. My dismissive tone. The Instagram picture. The race to Mason Lockwoods. The search through the party. Followed by finding him with my sister. We both made mistakes but I cut my ties and ran the moment my sister won.

I've wondered what his big secret was for a long time. What broke him so much that ultimately broke us? And now he's willing to have the conversation we should've had all along. The one we both prevented.

I steel myself, preparing to hear the thing that had Damon feeling horrible enough about himself to spiral. "Go ahead."

"Can I come in?"

Reluctantly, I nod and gesture towards the vacant chair near the wall. He strides towards it, sitting down and I take my seat across from him on the edge of the bed. He's quiet for a few moments, collecting his thoughts and I can see the pain welling upside of him. Part of me wants to tell him that it can wait but I'm just ready to put this whole thing behind us.

His eyes soften before he finally starts. "I raced to my Dad's after our fight at the beach. Remember? When I got there he was sitting in the den, legs shaking, clearly nervous. I, of course, came in with a big attitude because we were fighting and he was behind it but he just ignored it all and launched into the story of how he had met this woman before my mom died."

"He cheated on your mom?"

Damon nods. "Clearly, husband and father of the year."

"I'm sorry, Damon." And I truly am.

He gives me a sad smile. "But that wasn't all. It turns out that they had a kid together. A son."

My mouth drops open in shock as his words hit me. Damon has a brother. "Oh, my God."

Nodding, he says, "It turns out that my father didn't know about it until this woman died. At the hospital, she told her son everything. She was dying of cancer, she didn't want him to be alone."

Everything he tells me starts adding up and the name leaves my mouth before I've even consciously pieced it all together. "Stefan? Stefan's your brother."

"When Amara Avery died, Stefan came looking for my father. He found him that night you were out my house. The night my Dad came home early." I remember. It was the night I saw Giuseppe pause outside of Damon's door. "I knew something was wrong, but I didn't know just how bad it was until he finally told me everything."

I frown, imagining how hard this all must have been for Damon. "How are things with your Dad now?"

"We're better. I was angry for a long time but it was clear that the guilt ate at him. That's why he couldn't look at me ever since my mother died. I look just like her. I was a constant reminder that he had cheated."

"At least it all makes sense now. You have answers."

At my words, Damon gives me a real genuine smile. "I do. Stefan and I knocked heads the first few meetings. I was angry and upset and he's had quite the perfect life. But now… Well, we're close."

"Best Man worthy it would seem."

Damon laughs. "Yeah. Well, we're brothers, friends, business partners. Can't think of anyone closer to the guy. Plus, I'm the reason he and Caroline got together."

"Business partners?" I question.

"We own the Mystic Grille. Well, basically… Dad is the owner on file. Didn't Caroline tell you?"

I shake my head. "She just told me Stefan worked there."

And I'm reminded of who else works there: Katherine. It would seem that Damon and my sister haven't cut ties as I would've hoped. Now he's her boss. They see each other constantly. Maybe my worry over seeing the two of them together when I crossed within the town lines wasn't as foolish as I thought.

"It's become our little family bonding project."

I can't respond because I keep picturing Damon and Katherine together—in storage rooms, after hours. In keeping Damon's name from my life I've opened myself up to pain. I need to talk to Caroline and find out as much as I can before I have any more surprises that I'm just not ready for.

"So," Damon continues at my silence, "now that it's all out in the open can we call a truce?"

My eyes search his and I see that familiar hope back in his irises. He's offering me friendship and with everything we have to do how can I object? It'll make everything go easier. And despite how we originally handled things we've proven we can get through a conversation without arguing.

I give him a smile. "Truce."

He returns my smile with one of his own and stands, smoothing out his shirt. "I better head out. I have some errands to run before I have to man the Grille tonight. Hopefully you can check it out soon?"

Damon lets it hang there like an offer and I reply by saying, "It's up to Caroline. She'll have me booked solid until the wedding."

"Oh, I'm right there with you."

We exchange a laugh and it feels light, easy, familiar. I can still sense his urge to want to reach out and touch me, hug me goodbye, get back to the conversation we were having before. But for Caroline and Stefan's sake he's keeping his thoughts and feelings to himself. Something I am also grateful for. We'll be walking a fine line between friends and exes in trying to plan this wedding together and I don't want to constantly be fighting with him.

I don't want to constantly be validating my life in New York.

He reaches the door and looks back to where I'm still seated on the bed. "I'll be seeing you, Elena."

I give him a small smile. "See you, Damon."

And then he leaves and for some reason I break.

"Are you sure you don't want to go back to the hotel and talk?"

I shake my head. "No."

Caroline pouts, turning her head momentarily off the road to give me her best puppy dog eyes. "But there's a reason you were crying when I came to get you."

"And it's a reason I don't want to get into right now."

She sighs. "But you tell me everything."

"And you don't," I say, pointedly, unable to stop myself.

As she makes a turn on to the main street of Mystic Falls, her brows furrow. "What does that mean?"

My eyes search the buildings for the talked about Mystic Grille as I try to ask myself why I'm having an attitude and talking about the very thing I want to avoid. Caroline's constant tapping however proves that this is something she just isn't going to let go.

So, instead I sigh and say, "Why didn't you tell me Katherine worked for Damon and Stefan?"

Her eyes balk. "How did you find out?"

"Damon told me," I quietly mutter.

"Damon!" she yells, practically swerving the car off the road. "When did you talk to Damon?"

I shrug; trying to play it off like it's no big deal when in reality it was a huge deal. "He came over before you showed up."

Caroline lets out what can only be described as a growl as she mutters. "Stefan."

"I'm not mad about it, Care," I say quickly before I'm responsible for a lovers spat. "I was shocked at first but I'm glad we got that first meeting over with in private where it wouldn't affect your wedding."

She's quiet for a moment, taking calming breaths before she gasps and says, "Is that why you were crying? What did Damon say?"

"He told me about Stefan. We just talked and agreed to be friends."

She's nodding along, happy with what I'm saying but her face becomes confused when I leave it at that. "That doesn't explain the breakdown I walked in on."

I sigh, putting my face in my hands. "I don't know, okay? It just happened."

"Aren't you curious?"

Shaking my head, I lean back and focus on the road ahead of me. Caroline has pulled over in front of a green industrial building with beige awnings and brown doors. There are a few windows but they're spaced enough to tell me the feeling inside is dark and rustic. Written on one of the doors and scrawled onto the windows are the words: MYSTIC GRILLE. This is it. This is Damon and Stefan's restaurant.

"Is this it?" I say in disbelief. The place is packed. The tables set up outside and full of people and there is a constant pull of people towards the place. It has me wondering just how packed it is inside if this is the crowd outside.

"This is it," Caroline says and I can hear the smile in her voice. It's full of pride and when I turn towards her I see it reflected on her face. "Isn't it amazing? It's just what this town needed."

I turn back towards the building, seeing a crowd of high schoolers laughing as they step inside. "Makes me wish we had something like this when we were in school."

"It was Damon's idea," Caroline says softly. "Stefan wanted to open up a business with the combination of his money and Giuseppe's and Damon came up with this."

"Wow," is all I can say. I think of the Damon I left who had no drive, no dreams—just a hardworking man who wanted to follow me everywhere. He had changed from the man I met but he struggled with the weight of his past. That man constantly felt at war with who he was and who I knew who he could be.

But the Damon I saw earlier, the one who was responsible for this beautiful building is better than I ever could've imagined. And better yet? He became this person all on his own.

"Elena?" Caroline says, grabbing my attention. "Are you sure you're okay?"

I can tell my eyes must be glistening, feel the lump in my throat, but I managed my words out steadily. "I think I was just overwhelmed. I haven't allowed myself to think of Damon in such a long time that having him there was too much."

Not mention the thought of him and Katherine still being in each other's lives.

I'm not sure why it matters. I cut myself from any say in Damon's life when I walked away from him that night. When I left him broken and moved away pretending he didn't exist. Was Damon right? Did I create a lie? Maybe. With refusing to hear his name, I erased any impact he had on my life. I erased the fire he lit up inside me, the passion, adventure.

Is that the part of myself that Dr. Laughlin is claiming I'm lacking?

Maybe I know more about the reasoning behind my breakdown than I care to admit.

"Do you want to do something else tonight?" Caroline asks, giving me an out.

I hesitate to answer. In truth, it would be nice to just hang out with Caroline and talk about everything going on inside of me. But I want to see what Damon's been working so hard on. I want that same pride on Caroline's face when talking about the Mystic Grille to be reflected on mine. Because I am proud of Damon for finding his way.

And maybe I need Damon in my life more than I thought. Maybe I need to rediscover that part of myself I shut off after all these years.

"No, I'm okay," I reply. "I want to meet Stefan."

At that Caroline smiles and with an encouraging smile we both exit the car. She locks it as we step foot on the curb and lock arms with me as we approach the door. We're ushered inside by a red head who already knows Caroline by name and I'm taken aback by the scene before me.

Dark and rustic is exactly what I see before me. Redwood tables and steel beams intertwine in the candlelit room. There are lights hanging from the ceiling but their dimmed low enough and only stationed over the bar which has a waterfall behind it. At the entrance is a steel sign backlit by yellow light and rocks which bears the name of the bar and what would appear to be a swirling flame. There's a brick oven and fireplaces scattered throughout and live band playing music near the recreation area where kids are playing pool and couples are dancing.

And to say the place is packed would be an understatement.

A woman smiles at us as we approach the hostess area. "Caroline! Great to see you! You're booth will be ready in a moment. Stefan said to head over to the bar and have a drink on the house."

"Thank you, Andi!" Caroline sings, pulling me towards the bar.

I take notice of the bartenders, two men and a girl managing the bar. We approach and the girl bartender turns around and my heart stops. I should've recognized the perfect curls, familiar stature. Honestly, I've been looking for her since the moment we stepped in.

Yet here I am as shocked as ever.

Her perfectly lined eyes widen and her red lips pop open as she stutters out my name.

She's wearing a light blue shirt that's she's cut down to remake into a V-neck which shows the bars logo on the left side. It's what every employee is wearing but the fact that she's made hers slightly revealing tells me just how little has changed. Though the fact that she's behind the bar and not under it might suggest some sense of growth.

"Katherine."