Chapter Seven

Moving On or Moving In

"It's like I can't breathe. It's like I can't see anything. Nothing but you. I'm addicted to you. It's like I can't think. Without you interrupting me. In my thoughts. In my dreams. You've taken over me. It's like I'm not me. It's like I'm not me..." ~ Kelly Clarkson

"Is anybody out there? Is anybody listening? Does anybody really know? If it's the end of our beginning. A cry. A rush. From one breath. Is all we're waiting for. Sometimes the one we're taking. Changes every one before..." ~ Ross Copperman

"Faith has been broken, tears must be cried. Let's do some living after we die. Wild horses couldn't drag me away. Wild, wild horses, we'll ride them some day. Wild horses couldn't drag me away. Wild, wild horses, we'll ride them someday..." ~ The Rolling Stones

I lugged my suitcase and boxes out of the room I was staying in and down the corridor. Sasha brought a couple of boxes from Charming she thought I might like. They contained a few photo frames, and odd bits and pieces I bought while I was in Charming. I dumped the boxes and suitcase in Damon's room and went to get my bathroom stuff. I returned a few minutes later, and started unpacking. Damon and I have been spending most of our time in either my bedroom or his, we almost never slept in different rooms. So, I thought why not just use one room.

The room I was sleeping in was a guest room, so if someone was going to move it was me. I was just about done when Damon entered the room. He paused and looked at me and the empty boxes. "Am I going somewhere?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, I'm moving in," I said getting to my feet. Damon smiled and sauntered into the room and towards me. "Are you sure you wanna do this?" he asked wrapping his arms around my waist. "I think it's time, unless you-" I didn't get to finish my sentence, Damon's lips touching mine. I smiled and closed my eyes, enjoying the kiss.

A few moments later I pulled away. "I have a couple of things to put away," I said moving away from Damon. I needed to think clearly and I couldn't do that when Damon was so close. I walked towards the bathroom and unpacked the bag with all my bathroom products. "I can think of something better to do than unpacking," Damon teased following me. "Oh really?" I asked with a playful smile, swaying my hips. "What may that be?" Damon stopped and gave me his crooked smile.

"Let's just say you won't need any clothes for the activity."

"As fun as that sounds, I think I'll pass."

"You can't say no, not when I'm this close," Damon said moving closer.

"And how would you know?" I asked, my heart beating faster. Damon walked forwards and stopped right in front of me, our toes touching. Skin against skin.

The smallest of touches sent my pulse in overdrive. I stared up at him, his blue eyes burning holes in me. I love how he made me feel. He might be a pain in the ass, but he was my pain in the ass. Damon smiled down at me, a warm smile that filled me with warmth from head to toe, making my pulse hum. Adrenalin pumped through my veins, like I was soaring in the sky on a cloud. With Damon I felt alive. He pulled me from a dark place and made it light again. Damon leaned in closer, his breath hot against my cold skin. I closed my eyes, waiting for him to kiss me, my heart hammering in my chest. "I know, because when I kiss you here," his lips ever so slightly brushed against my collarbone. Damon was hardly touching me, but I felt rejuvenated.

It was like jumping off a bridge. My knees buckled, and without thinking about it my hands reached out to him. My mind went blank, and all I could think about was Damon, and the way he made me feel. Our relationship wasn't perfect. But, being with Damon felt like I was standing on top of a cliff, on the verge of falling over, but for once it didn't scare me, it excited me. I felt like I could fly when he was so close to me. It was scary to think that Damon had so much control over my emotions.

But, at the same time, it was so thrilling to know that someone could make my emotions come alive in such a profound way. I was ready to jump, let myself be carried away by the wind. His voice close to my ear drew me back from the cliff. "You grab my shirt, pulling me closer," he went on, his lips still hovering over my collarbone. I opened my eyes, looking down at my hands.

I was clutching his shirt in my hands, holding the fabric in my fists. His mouth moved from my collarbone to my jaw, right under my earlobe.

"When I kiss you here, you part your lips and press yourself against me."

My eyes were closed, my lips slightly parted, and our bodies were pressed together. I forgot about the world outside and every living soul out there. My whole world came to a standstill whenever I was with him. Some part of me – a very tiny part – felt like I was treading on thin ice, and that I should turn around and get off while I could. That part of me was trying to warn me that I was playing a very dangerous game, one that could leave me heartbroken and alone, again.

Damon brushed his lips along my jaw line, sending a shudder down my spine, effectively pushing away the eerie feeling deep down inside me. "And when my lips touch yours," he whispered against my lips, his mouth on mine. His breathing was ragged and his heartbeat matched mine. He didn't get to finish whatever he was trying to proof, because I grabbed him and kissed him, wrapping my arms around his neck. He picked me up and carried me to bed.

It's been a week since Sasha's arrival. I still haven't had the courage to tell her what I needed to tell her. It also didn't help that she was swamped with work and unpacking. Stefan kept pushing me to tell her, but I wasn't ready. How was I meant to bring it up. It wasn't just something you threw into a conversation. And I don't know who was more nervous me, or Damon. Damon wasn't sure what to make of the situation. He knew Sasha, but not as well as I did, or as well as Stefan did. I was just afraid that she'd never want to talk to me again. This was kind of a big deal. The person Sasha thought has always been open and honest with her, was about to turn her whole world upside down. I know how it feels to be told that you're whole life was a lie. So, I was in no hurry to tell her. But as Stefan pointed out, the sooner I did it the sooner I could start rebuilding my relationship with Sasha.

"Ava," Damon said lightly tapping my shoulder, pulling me from my thoughts. I turned around and faced him.

"You were miles away," he said sitting down next to me on the bed. "Just thinking," I said looking out of the window again.

"It'll all be fine," Damon said, but he didn't sound too convincing.

"You don't know that," I said with a faint smile, looking at Damon again.

Damon wrapped his arm around my shoulder, and pulled me closer.

"She might be angry, but she won't hate you," Damon assured me.

"I was lucky to have had the chance to see her grow up, I just don't want to lose her," I said voicing my fear out loud. "You won't," Damon said squeezing my shoulder.

There was a knock on the front door and I jumped. It was time. I had invited Sasha and Dave over, and told Sasha that there was something I needed to tell her.

I just hoped that it would all work out, and that Sasha won't hate me after all this.

Damon stood up and stuck out his hand. "Time to face the music," he said charmingly.

"Ha. Ha. Funny," I said rolling my eyes. But I couldn't help smiling.

Stefan opened the door, told Sasha and Dave to wait for us in the living room and left the house. He wanted to give us some space. "I can make myself scarce if you want," Damon offered, again. I stopped halfway down the stairs and looked at him.

"You have just as much right to be here," I said taking his hand. "I want you here."

"Okay," Damon smiled. We walked hand in hand downstairs and towards the living room. We walked in and both Sasha and Dave turned to look at us.

"Hey," Sasha greeted coming over to hug me. We hugged, as Damon and Dave shook hands. "It's good to put a face to the name," Dave said to Damon.

Damon smiled, but I could see him eyeing Dave, sizing him up.

"So, what's with the cryptic meeting?" Sasha asked sitting down. I sat down on the couch next to her, turning to face her, crossing my legs.

"There's something I need to tell you, Sash," I began.

"If you're going to tell me I'm adopted then I already know," Sasha said like it was no big deal. I looked at her both shocked and relieved. "How? When?" I mumbled.

"My mom and dad told me before my mom died," Sasha replied.

"There's more to it," I said. I looked at Damon and he gave me an encouraging nod.

"Okay," Sasha said tentatively. "I had a baby girl in '83, Sash. And I gave her up."

Sasha looked at me like I was mad. It seemed to be a common occurrence these days.

"Why didn't," she paused and looked at me again. I saw realization set in and Sasha sat up straighter. "No," she breathed. She looked at me, at Damon and back.

"No," she said again. "How is this possible?"

"I think I can explain," Dave interjected. All three of us turned to look at him.

Sasha sagged in the sofa, her focus on Dave. He got up and walked around the sofa.

"I'm a descendant of Paula Sommers," he said. "Paula Sommers? As in the witch that worked for my father, Paula Sommers?" I asked flabbergasted. I never saw this coming. Dave nodded. "My mother's magic helped you conceive," Dave explained. "Why?" I asked. "For the greater good," Dave said with a shrug.

He didn't think this was a big deal, which led me to believe that he was always meant to end up with Sasha. Urgh! I was going to kill Jack. Not only did he and my father play with my life, they were playing with Sasha's. "Can someone please explain to me what the hell is going on?" Sasha demanded getting to her feet.

"They want me to take back the leadership of the Keeper race. But to do that I need four other people to sit around the table with me to overtake The Assembly."

"And how do I factor in this plan?" Sasha asked.

"I need a blood member on The Assembly," I answered.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I didn't know, Sash."

"No. Why didn't you tell me you're my mother?"

"I didn't want anyone to know. I did it to protect you."

"Protect me from what? Him?" Sasha looked at Damon, hurt in her eyes.

"No. From The Assembly. I didn't want them to use you to hurt me."

"I can't do this. I can't even look at you," Sasha said grabbing her handbag.

She turned to leave Dave on her heels. She spun around and glared at him.

"You too," she said angrily. She turned around again and stormed off.

"That went well," Dave said turning around to look at me.

I covered my eyes with my hand, tears spilling down my cheeks. This was the hardest thing I had to do, and I had no idea what I was meant to do now.

Damon got up from where he was sitting, and came to sit next to me, pulling me into his arms. I shook my head and let my tears fall freely. This was all a mess.