To Change or Not To Change: Time Traveling AU

Chapter 15: Dark Side

~x~

Everybody's got a dark side.
Do you love me?
Can you love mine?
Nobody's a picture perfect,
but we're worth it!
You know that we're worth it.
Will you love me?
Even with my dark side?

~x~

A few hours in the late morning, the day after Grayson had hit her; Elena found her eyes beginning to flutter open. The blankets wrapped around her were warm and she buried her way into a pillow that strangely smelt like Damon. She smelt deeply as she let out a breath of air. How refreshing this was, until of course, she heard movement.

Elena snapped her eyes open and found Damon Salvatore staring at her. Slowly, things began to trickle back into her mind about what had happened. And she remembered where she was. She was now staying with Damon. "D-Damon?" She yawned.

"Good morning sleeping beauty," Damon smirked as he leaned over to kiss her lips gently. "Would you like some breakfast?"

Is he being nice to me? Elena wondered. Why is he being nice to me? She nodded and he moved to leave the bed. Her eyes zeroed in on the fact that he was wearing clothing so she relaxed a little. Once Damon left the room, Elena pulled the sheets back to check to make sure she was dressed.

Clothes covered her body so she let out a breath of relief.

Since Damon was downstairs making breakfast, Elena pulled her body from the soft warm bed and made her way to the bathroom. Memories flooded her mind and she remembered so much about this bathroom. She blushed as she went inside and went about her morning business.

As she washed her hands, Elena looked in the mirror above the sink and was shocked by the sight she was greeted with. Bruises covered her face and neck. Her right eye was closed up from a black eye which explained why it was sore and she was having some trouble seeing. It came flooding back to her on what had happened and who had done this to her.

Her father, Grayson Gilbert had done this.

Elena swallowed her nerves and wandered back into the bedroom after staring at her face for so long. She decided her dirty used clothes would not do so she pulled one of Damon's many black button-up shirts and pulled that on along with some boxers she found. Screw fate if it thought she'd walk around in her underwear. Though, she was sure Damon wouldn't mind…

No, Elena firmly told her dirty mind. What if Stefan is around? Or that Zach guy?

With that in mind, Elena pulled on Damon's large boxers and sighed. Who ever knew just how comfortable boxers were? Men's clothes were the most comfortable things Elena had ever worn.

"Elena, darling, breakfast is ready!" She heard come down from the kitchen.

Elena left the bedroom and walked down the steps, taking care. She could barely see in front of her but her body knew this place like nobody had ever seen before. She entered the kitchen and took a seat at the table. Damon set breakfast in front of her and she was greeted by a fried egg, three pieces of bacon, two pieces of toast and some strawberries.

"Wow, you went full out." She mused.

Damon smirked as he sat down. "I like cooking, especially for my special lady."

She blushed and smiled. Happily Elena could admit, she dug into her food. "So last night…."

She didn't get to finish.

"Elena? What happened to your face?"

Damon and Elena turned to find Stefan standing in the doorway looking worried and then angry.

"You said you wouldn't hurt her!"

Damon rolled his eyes. "I wasn't the one who hurt her, Saint Stefan. But thanks for the vote of confidence." He rolled his eyes as he went back to his egg.

Stefan moved over to Elena, worry in his eyes. "Elena, if he's hurting you-"

"Like Damon said," Elena said softly, "It wasn't him. Don't blame him. Honestly…"

Stefan didn't look convinced but he nodded. He sat down and looked at the girl he was so helplessly in love with. She went back to eating breakfast awkwardly. "Sooo…"

Damon chuckled. "What can we do for you, Saint Stefan?"

Stefan glared at him, "Really, Damon, really?"

"You act as if you're all righteous and holy- like you're above everyone else. Just like a Saint." Damon pointed out with a roll of his eyes, taking a drink of his water. "So what do you want?"

Elena hated to see them fight so much. She didn't realize everything she had told Damon yesterday so she had no idea that he was being jealous of Stefan. "I came down here before I went out." Stefan explained.

"Hunting?" Damon asked with a chuckle. "Go catch a Thumper, why don't you? Haha bunny killer! And you say I'm bad!"

Stefan scowled. "Damon-"

"Elena already knows, you idiot." Damon stated.

Stefan turned to look at the petit brunette whom was munching on a piece of her bacon. She glanced at him and shrugged her shoulders. He was shocked by this news. He began, "How-"

"I have my ways," Elena simply smiled at him, "A lady still must have some of her secrets."

It hurt her face to smile so it dropped almost as soon as it had graced her face. Damon and Stefan noticed and both had concern written on their beautiful faces. She looked at her breakfast, nibbling on her piece of bacon.

Stefan wanted to know more about the woman in front of him, of course he did. But clearly, Elena was holding onto her secrets and it intrigued him further. Stefan didn't think he had ever been this interested in a girl since Katherine.

Damon reached over and touched Elena's hand. "After breakfast, I was thinking a nice day inside would be lovely. Maybe we could sit down and enjoy some Netflix."

Elena gave him a small smile, "I'd like that."

Now Stefan whom felt jealous added, "I'll join too!"

~x~

15 minutes later, Elena, Damon and Stefan were sitting in front of a TV in their grand living room. "I didn't know you guys had a TV," Elena commented.

"We don't usually use it," Damon said. "But Zach always had a soft spot for computers and TV's."

Somehow, Elena ended up sandwiched between Damon and Stefan on their fine red couch. Elena looked at the screen as she decided what she wanted to watch. She was leaning towards either Enchanted or Valentine's Day. In the end, Elena picked Enchanted because it was a very lovely movie.

Damon had brought in popcorn before Elena had decided and now she had a bowl sitting on her lap as she nuzzled into Damon's side. She missed the glare Stefan sent Damon.

The movie began and Elena grinned. It was one of her favorites.

~x~

The next day was a Monday. Elena borrowed some clothes from Caroline whom had come over with some and together the girls started for school. Stefan had already left and Elena suspected the vampire had gone off hunting before going to school. Damon made breakfast again for Elena and even shared some with Caroline.

Elena wasn't sure why, but she was feeling closer with the blonde this time around. When they got to school, Elena couldn't help but keep her head bowed. Most of her face had healed from the beating she had taken from Grayson and Damon had given her some of his blood to heal up fully.

She stood beside Caroline as her friend rambled about some homework she had to do, while Elena stared at the dark classroom that had once belonged to the late Mr. Tanner. She hadn't thought of the teacher for a few days, because Elena kept thinking, Alaric is going to show up. Alaric, please. She needed her father figure. Especially now that Grayson was out of the picture completely!

As Elena stared blankly, half listening to Caroline complain about Pre-Cal. A man walked up to the door and pulled it open. Elena stared, her mouth falling open slightly. Caroline noticed the state her friend was in and turned around. There standing before the two was none other than Alaric Saltzman.

Elena wanted to run up to him and hug him, yell out happily, you're alive! But right as soon as her eyes lay upon him, her name got called over the EA,

"Elena Gilbert to the office, Elena Gilbert,"

Caroline looked at her friend with worry. "I'll see you in class," The blonde hugged her friend before going to find Bonnie. Elena took in a deep breath and started for the office. She didn't realize just what was going to happen next…

~x~

So chapter 15, I think it sort of sucks but I don't mind it. It was a tough chapter to write, honestly. I wasn't sure where I wanted to go next, and I really have no idea what is going to happen next. I just have a small idea. That's it, so if you have any please let me know in a Review or even in a PM. It would help a lot.

And for those who are waiting for that one-shot to come out, I'm having trouble writing that one too. I have never written anything like it before but I will complete it. Sometime soon, I hope.

Anyway, Alaric is finally in the story, yay! I can't wait to have some bonding time between him and Elena again. :) See you all next week!

Nerdy~

REVIEW PLEASE