Chapter Three
Almost Like The Good Ol' Days
"A moment of love. A dream. A laugh. A kiss. A cry. Our rights. Our wrongs..." ~ The Temper Trap
"Would you let me see beneath your beautiful? Would you let me see beneath your perfect? Take it off now, girl, take it off now, girl. I wanna see inside. Would you let me see beneath your beautiful tonight?..." ~ Labrinth
"Take this sinking boat and point it home. We've still got time. Raise your hopeful voice. You have a choice. You've made it now..." ~ The Frames
I woke up to the most beautiful sound. Ava's laughter. But that wasn't the only reason it was beautiful. Ava and Damon's laughter echoed through the house, warm and genuine. I laid in bed just listening to the wonderful sound that was Ava and Damon talking and laughing. Elena stirred next to me and opened her eyes. I looked at her, again awed with how beautiful she was. And she was mine.
"Is that Damon and Ava?" she asked rubbing her eyes.
"Yes," I said with a smile, turning on my side to look at Elena.
"What does that mean?" she said turning on her side.
"I have no idea."
"You don't think they're killing each other?" Elena asked worried.
"No. They won't be laughing if they were."
"You don't sound too convincing."
"Well I hope not," I said rolling over and getting out of bed. Elena followed slipping on a silk gown, tying it around her waist. I put on a shirt and we made our way downstairs, hand in hand. We walked to the kitchen not too sure what we were going to find. "Maybe we shouldn't," Elena said stopping in her tracks.
"What's the worst that can happen?" I asked, with an uncertain smile.
"I can think of a couple of things," Elena answered her eyes darting to the kitchen when Damon gave a thunderous laugh.
"C'mon," I said pulling her towards the kitchen. We approached the kitchen with caution and stopped. Ava was sitting by the counter, nibbling on a piece of toast and Damon was standing by the stove, flipping a pancake.
"I can't believe you remember that," Ava said laughing, chucking a piece of toast at Damon. Damon dodged the flying piece of toast and slid the pancake into a plate.
"I have a memory like an elephant, baby," Damon said smiling.
I stared, fixated by the scene in front of me. It's been years since I've seen Damon and Ava so civil and so happy with each other. All the tension Ava's been carrying around have disappeared, and even Damon was in a lighter mood.
"Just in time for breakfast, little brother," Damon said smiling, looking up.
Ava turned in her seat and smiled at us.
"Good morning sleepy heads," she greeted turning back sharing a look with Damon.
Elena and I looked at each other, and she shrugged walking into the kitchen and taking a seat next to Ava. I went over and sat down on Ava's other side, watching Damon make another pancake. "Did we miss something?" I asked no longer able to take the mystery. I needed to know what changed, or if anything did in fact change.
For all I knew it was all just a pretence to fool us. "We talked," Ava said exchanging another look with Damon. I smiled playfully bumping Ava with my shoulder.
"Oh I heard you alright," I joked with a wink. Ava laughed and bumped me with her shoulder. "We actually talked," she replied with a chuckle, scrunching her nose.
"Am I missing something?" Elena asked looking at me and Ava.
I shook my head with a smile and took the piece of toast Ava offered me.
"Stefan is trying to be funny," Damon said turning back and pouring another lot of pancake batter into the pan. Elena looked from me to Ava to Damon and back, and she clicked. "Oh God, okay. Too much information," she said getting up, and grabbing a carton of orange juice. She sat down again, poured herself a glass and offered the carton to Ava, who filled her glass. Damon gave Elena a plate with pancakes and the bottle of maple syrup. I watched as Damon and Ava looked at each other, both seemed to be happy. Elena looked over Ava's head at me, and I knew what she was thinking.
It was nice to see them both so happy. I never thought I'd see this side of them again.
It reminded me of the good old days, before it all became a mess. The days before Damon joined the Armed Services and Ava was planning their wedding.
Only time would tell how all this will turn out. I hoped that Damon and Ava could handle whatever came next, and believe me it was going to be challenging.
"I want you to give me some of your blood," Ava said out of the blue.
Damon and I both looked up and stared at her. She obviously forgot what happened the last time she had vampire blood in her system. "Do you remember what my blood did to you?" Damon asked, studying Ava to see if he could see where she was going with this. Ava shook her head and broke off another piece of her pancake.
"Yes, Damon. But it wasn't that bad," Ava said, determinedly.
"Not that bad?" I asked looking at Ava. "You thought you were at death's door, if I remember correctly," I reminded her. "Not the point, Stefan," Ava said swatting my hand away from her pancakes. For a little person she sure ate a lot.
"Why do you want my blood?" Damon interjected, curiously.
"Well," Ava began looking at her plate. "I saw this recipe of a healing concoction in the back of my father's journal, and if you haven't notice the healing process isn't going too well." Damon studied Ava for a moment, sensing that there was more to it than what she was letting on. "I'm just going to take a shower," Elena said, leaving the room. Neither Damon nor Ava seemed to notice her departure, so I just gave Elena a nod and a smile. "What else is in this concoction?" I asked.
"Vampire blood and my blood."
"Not much of a concoction if you ask me," Damon said.
"I know, but it might lessen the side effects," Ava replied, hiding her face in her glass of orange juice. "What's the rush, Ava?" I asked. Ava looked up and met my inquiring gaze. "Look at me, it's been weeks and I haven't healed."
"Ava," Damon said, but didn't get to finish.
"Please don't say my name like that," Ava said.
"Like what?" Damon asked innocently.
"Like I'm pathetic."
"I wouldn't dream of it. All I'm trying to say is that there's no rush. Take your time."
I looked at my brother truly surprised that he was so caring. This did remind me of the good old days when they looked at each with love and respect.
"Are you going to give me your blood or not?" Ava said meeting Damon's eyes.
"Okay, but I am not holding your hair back," Damon answered with a sparkle in his eyes. "This is too weird," I said looking from Ava to Damon and back.
"What?" Ava asked with a smile. She couldn't help herself. She was happy.
"Nothing," I said getting to my feet. I left just as Damon leaned over the counter to kiss Ava. I smiled to myself, happy to see Damon and Ava so in love. I just hope that this time it lasts.
