Liz enters the television studio to have a chat with her friend, Kol Mikaelson. He's a local sports journalist and she's hoping he can help her document Elena's Cinderella story and drum up some publicity for her.
He already knows a little from her call and telling him she was going to stop by.
She stands in the wings waiting for him to wrap up his daily broadcast. As soon as the camera turns away, Liz approaches him.
"Hello, darling." Kol winks at Liz.
"Thanks for agreeing to see me."
"How good is she?" Kol pulls off his microphone and walks around the desk.
"I've never seen such a gift. It's something natural in her. You see her and you know what it's about. She's a bit rough and old-fashioned and has a lot of work to do because of her age but she has it."
"I cannot read that." Kol comments as he hands a piece of note paper back to the news editor. "How rough?" he asks, turning to Liz.
"I'll have her ready for the Olympics."
"They won't let you. Skating is one place where they don't like upstarts."
"If we can build up enough media interest they won't be able to stop her ascent. I'm telling you, Elena has what it takes to stand on that podium with the gold medal around her neck," Liz counters as she walks beside him.
"We?"
"Yes, Kol. It's what you like to do. It is what's gotten you where you are and it's going to get you out of the Midwest affiliate to a network... And because you're a darling," Liz quips with a wink.
"Does she know what's about to happen?" Kol asks dubiously.
"She may not know, but when she heard that little crowd at the Regionals, it knocked her right on her ass. She wants it," Liz insists.
Kol pauses for a moment as he opens his office door and gestures for Liz to enter. "I can see this kind of as a Mary Lou Retton, or a Simone Biles and Gabby Douglas type thing. Everybody's darling. It'll be good for both of us."
"So...no more 'one of the best women coaches in the country?'" he teases as he removes her coat and hangs it up. "You want to be numero uno."
Liz's mouth curves into a smile. "That's right!"
"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. This is Kol Mikaelson with another sports story. Last week we covered Katherine Pierce, a teen basketball sensation. Today we're focusing on Elena Gilbert from Grinnell, Iowa.
At her age, advanced for anyone just starting out in this cutthroat business, the odds are stacked pretty high against her. But her coach, highly regarded in the skating world, Elizabeth Forbes insists Elena has what it takes to be the Cinderella story of the next Olympic Games," Kol states as he gestures for his cameraman to film the young brunette.
Kol and his team are at the Broadmoor to record footage for his Elena story.
"Elena, I'm not going to mince words," Liz begins in that clear, concise tone of hers. "We'll have a lot of work to do if you're to be ready for competition this upcoming season."
Liz puts Elena through her paces for the TV people. By the time the hour is up, she is damp from pure, hard-working sweat.
"Better, better. Do that ending now," Liz instructs her.
Elena builds up a little speed, raises one foot off the ice, and stretches out her body to create a slight arch as she spins gracefully for the ice.
"What does it take to become a world-class skater in six months?" Kol turns to the camera. "You're about to find out as we follow the training and preparation of Elena Gilbert, a skater who appeared from nowhere. Electrifying the audience of the central Midwest regionals last month."
"Come on, spin, spin! Come on, pull!" Liz calls out and Elena does as she's told. "That's it, go and into the jump. Come on, move. Good, push, push. Into the knee. Come on, jump up, Elena."
Elena's breathing is heavy but she launches herself in the air and completes a split jump, landing flawlessly.
"Our cameras will follow the transformation of an exceptional raw talent into a world-class skater, under the guidance of coach, Liz Forbes. It is only fitting that her training is taking place here at the famous Broadmoor World Arena, where all the famous skaters have trained as well as current favorite Amy Bradley- runner-up in last year's world competition," Kol pauses a moment while the cameraman shifts to Elena to pick up some addition footage.
"Elena Gilbert has yet to win a major competition but has already won the hearts of everyone she has met... Okay, cut it. That's good. We're all a bit tired but we got a lot of good stuff today," Kol tells his crew as he hands the microphone to his assistant.
"Elena, darling, it's been a pleasure to meet you," Kol brings her hand to his mouth and presses his lips against her skin. He lets his stare linger for a second before he rejoins his crew to go back to their studio to get the footage ready to air on his next broadcast.
If not for her workout, the heat filling her face would be noticeable. She watches with a smile as he leaves the arena.
Sucking in a breath, Elena enters the locker room where the other skaters are preparing for their own practices.
"Where's your TV crew?" Comes from behind her after she brushes past one of them.
"Snubbing everybody or is there a list?" Caroline teases approaches and sits down beside Elena.
"They act like I have a disease or something," Elena scoffs sarcastically.
"Yeah. Success. It's all right. It isn't contagious. Just irritating."
"Whose side are you on anyway?" Elena looks at her.
"You know I'm on your side," Caroline tells her sincerely. "You have to understand that it's hard for some of the girls."
"It's hard for me, too."
"They've been doing this for a long time. You show up out of the blue and steal the spotlight. Nobody ever has gotten anything like this before and they've been part of the skating world since they were toddlers. You're a novice so you can hardly blame them for being resentful and pissed," Caroline explains as she watches Elena lace up her skates.
"Screw them."
"So much for the dumbass from the sticks," Caroline quips and giggles.
"It gets old. I mean, I'm working my ass off, too," Elena counters as she stands up.
Caroline gives her a hug. "What's worse is they know you're good." She winks at Elena as she walks with her to the ice.
Damon Salvatore decides that life is generally a crapshoot. His general assessment about that doesn't improve either when he stares down at his caller ID screen and finds it illuminated with his dad's phone number.
The discovery is not surprising but definitely unwelcome. His emotions are still simmering dangerously close to the surface. He really is in no mood to listen to a lecture from him, which he is certain is the reason behind the call.
He finds it completely unnecessary to have his dad's commentary on the matter. Still, he knows there is a chance he may be calling for another reason altogether and so he tosses aside the magazine with Elena on the cover to answer.
"So you quit again?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
Damon doesn't hear the remainder of his tirade because he has already hung up the phone. Seconds later his phone is ringing to life once again. He vacillates briefly between answering the call and ignoring it before the latter decision wins.
With a definitive grunt, he tosses it on the bed, grabs his jacket, and leaves his room.
Damon walks blindly, without any particular purpose other than to distance himself and clear his mind. By the time he snaps out of his stupor, he finds himself in the park, near the white, latticed gazebo at the very edge of the park.
Half an hour has passed without his being aware of it. And another half an hour later, Damon is still no closer to the answers he seeks.
He climbs up the creaky wooden steps with a heavy heart and falls down onto the empty bench seat to contemplate his future or lack thereof. Despite his best efforts to cast it from his mind, his thoughts roll back to what is he going to do with his life.
In that one, agonizing moment Damon feels as if he is losing everything - Elena, too- and he does not know how much more he can take.
He has never considered the consequences of their separation before and has never contemplated the agony he will feel if he loses her.
As if grief over losing her would not be enough, remorse over things he can not change would crush him.
The phone is ringing when Damon returns to his room. He wants to ignore it again but when he sees it's Elena, he grabs it before she hangs up.
"How's it going?"
"Did you see the cover? I can't believe it," Elena tells him excitedly.
"Yeah, it's great. Sports Illustrated. I'm really proud of you."
"They were so nice. They had two photographers and everything."
"Well, you're a star."
"Thanks for the clipping on your game."
"Elena..."
"Two goals, that's pretty good."
"Elena, I quit today. I'm just kidding myself here. I don't want to play hockey."
"Damon, no," Elena replies.
"Don't worry about it. I don't even think I give a damn. I don't know what I want. I mean, what I'm telling you, I don't know what I want to do with the rest of my life. I know I can't wander around aimlessly forever and that I have to decide but it's so frustrating."
"Can you come here? I miss you," Elena asks, and he can hear the disappointment in her voice.
"I don't think so, okay? Not right now, anyway," Damon looks at the ceiling with regret.
"I love you, Damon."
"I love you, too..." he says softly and clicks off the phone.
"I feel like Damon is pulling away from me," Elena confides suddenly to Caroline as she goes through the dresses on the store rack.
"What? Why would you think that?"
The idea has been festering in her brain for some time and now that she's given voice to her concern the need to talk about it consumes her.
"He's been distant," she informs Caroline flatly.
"You're here and he's back home."
"It's not that," Elena clarifies uncomfortably, "It's the actual communication that we can't get a lock on."
Caroline considers, tapping her chin, "Why don't you invite him to come here?"
"I did ask him to come but he said he can't right now." Elena knows what he doesn't say can be just as telling as what he does. She is starting to resent him.
"Do you love him?" Caroline asks lifts a hanger off the rack to show Elena.
Elena bites her lip. "It's more than that, Caroline," she replies, "Every time he starts something, he quits. He's sort of a drifter. When I try to talk to him, he changes the subject."
"Well," Caroline hedges, "Maybe it's time to move on? I've seen the way Kol looks at you."
Elena scowls at her. "Are you mocking me right now?"
"Lighten up,'" Caroline advises gently, "All this stressing out you're doing can't be good for you or your skating."
"I'm just saying…" Elena grumbles.
"Have you seen Kol when he thinks you're not looking? I have," Caroline acknowledges in a diplomatic tone, "But you're the one who has to make the decision whether or not to let go."
"It's not that easy, Caroline. I've known Damon since I was a little girl just learning how to skate. I love him but sometimes," Elena sighs, "It just isn't enough."
"You made the decision to go ahead with your career and, unfortunately, with you here and him there, Damon is a bystander in the whole process," Caroline says sagely.
With her heart squeezing painfully in her chest, Elena nods absently
"Hello, darling, I have news," Kol states when the door swings open.
"Come on in." Liz steps aside to let him pass. "It's set?" she asks as she leads him into the family room. "Sit, I'll get us a drink." Liz pulls a couple of glasses out from under the bar and fills them with expensive red wine.
"Yes! It'll be an expanded version of the essay series to be made part of Skate America."
"And Elena is in?"
"They bought it all. And only one turndown from the top five."
"Amy?" Liz asks as she takes a swallow.
Kol nods. "The only one that doesn't think she needs exposure. We've got Bonnie Brunton, the Canadian Champion. Ophelia Benton, Taiwan, and Liesel Huber from Germany."
Liz looks at him curiously. "I thought she had a breakdown of some sort after that accident."
"I talked to her coach myself. He didn't divulge what went wrong but he's anxious to get her back in the minds of the American judges. In a nice, non-competitive exhibition, no pressure.
"I knew I could count on you," Liz beams as she clinks her wine goblet with his.
After spending the weekend brushing up on her skills, not wanting to make a complete joke of herself in front of a national television audience, she spent a quiet evening away from the rink with Kol, getting to know him better.
She wakes the next morning feeling refreshed and ready to go.
Today's the day.
The arena is packed to the brim with people and full of energy.
"Okay, very nice, girls. Come on in, very quickly, please. You all look good. These are the competitors for the next Olympics. This is Kol Mikaelson presenting, a Winter Olympic Preview. We are happy to be a part of your evening and proud to present six, young, international skating competitors heading for the Olympics. From Germany, and currently favored to be the next world champion, Liesel Huber. From California, and second in the senior ladies' nationals last year Ophelia Benton. Canadian champion, Bonnie Brunton, and introducing, Elena Gilbert."
Elena feels content stepping out on that ice. She can hear Caroline start an enthusiastic chant of 'Let's go E LE NA" followed by clapping.
She smiles at Kol as she glides to the center ice. Elena can clearly see him grinning back as he mouths the words, "You got this."
Elena keeps her eyes on his as she takes her starting mark and waits for the music to take her away on its floaty wings.
Every chance she gets during the program, her eyes find him and it pushes her on. These four minutes feel like a dream and before she knows it, they are over.
With a baffled laugh, she skates off the ice. She didn't screw up."
"That was great," Liz gushes as she wraps an arm around her. "Let's sit down and watch the others."
By the time Liesel Huber hits the ice, Elena is still riding high. She watches with rapt attention as the German skater builds up speed and attempts a jump but crashes onto the ice.
Liesel rises to her feet and tries to brush it off. She attempts another simple jump, again landing in a heap on the surface in a heartbreaking fall.
"There she goes again. Do you want to stay on this?" Kol asks his cameraman who shakes his head. He runs his hand across his throat in a gesture. "Kill the spot."
Elena watches in dismay as Liesel's coach rushes out to help and practically carries her away.
With tears filling her eyes, Elena dashes out of the arena and into one of the bathrooms with Liz hot on her heels.
"This has nothing to do with you. Everybody knows Liesel isn't well. She was involved in a car crash that killed her brother and her best friend...maybe she shouldn't be skating anymore," Liz tries to console her.
Rocking in the corner, Elena looks up at her with tears trailing down her cheeks.
"You were a smash. Everything we've been working for, hoping for, it's happened! What's important is that yesterday nobody knew who Elena Gilbert was. You qualified for the sectionals." Liz helps her to her feet and embraces her.
"I won't let anything happen to you, okay?"
Elena nods as she buries herself in Liz's arms.
Thank you all so much. I apologize for the absences. I have no plans for any other travel so if I disappear, know something has happened.
Thank you, Eva.
CosmicAdventurer started a new story called, "Eros and Philia". It's an AH with the premise of Anna setting her sights on Elena (rather than Jeremy) whose inherent empathy longs to help Anna reunite with Pearl, while the two form an unexpected sisterhood.
TQR next. Have a wonderful day.