Elena's POV

I called Damon and he didn't answer. I was getting worried about him. I texted Stefan and asked him to tell me when he got home. I was sitting on my bed waiting when I heard John and Jeremy fighting in the living room. I went downstairs to see John knocked out on the floor. My body tensed up.

"What happened?" I asked Jeremy who was standing over him.

"He took from my stash." He held his hand that was all red.

"So you hit him?" I freaked out at the thought of John waking up to this.

"It's not like he hasn't hit me before." He walked past me.

"Jeremy you can't just hit him. He's going to one of partners to send you to jail do you want that?" I was scared of the thought of being alone with him.

"He's not going to do that." He rolled his eyes at me.

"Are you kidding me? You have a whole stash of drugs and you hit a cop. You don't think that will get back to you?" I was pissed off at his relaxed act.

"Okay fine I'll move it." He stated noticing how serious I am.

"Be quick. I can't have you in juvie." I was so nervous. "I need my brother here with me."

Jeremy ran upstairs and packed a bag. I followed him and watched as he hid all of his shit away. It made me so disappointed. There were tons of empty pill bottles and baggies with bits in it. I wondered how much fight I had left in me for him. I loved my brother and I know he has a problem but I'm wasting my life away in worry. I'm hardly hanging on.

Damon's POV

I sat on the dock with my feet in the water. I always came here to think about everything and anything. It was so peaceful to me. It calmed down the anger. I hadn't needed to come down here in a long time. I've been so happy lately but seeing my mom sent me back into that rage I hadn't let out in awhile. I sighed realizing I had left Elena in my bed with no explanation and I didn't even have my phone with me to call her. I didn't feel ready to leave yet or even talk about her.

"Damon?" I heard my brother's voice calling me from behind.

"How'd you find me?" I asked without looking away from the water.

"You're my brother. I know you." Stefan sat down next to me, dipping his feet into the water.

"It's cold." I warned him too late.

"Shit." He pulled his feet out.

"Weak." I had with low energy.

"Are you a vampire or something dude." Stefan chuckled.

"Did you see her?" I asked him.

"Yeah." His voice was low.

"I'm sorry I didn't warn you." I looked over at him.

"It's okay. Elena helped me get out of there so I had time to clear my head." He looked out at the water.

"Elena? They met?" I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration.

"It wasn't a big thing. She told her we had a project and we had to go." Stefan explained.

"Was she mad I left?" I wondered.

"No she was really worried about you though. You should call her." Stefan looked at me.

"I don't want her around me when she's here. I don't want her around Mom." I stated.

"Wait what?" Stefan questioned.

"You know how bad it gets when Mom is around. I don't want her to know that side of me." I sighed.

"What are you going to break up with her?" He asked me.

"I don't want to but maybe she'll understand taking a break so I can keep her away." It made me even more upset to think about.

"You can't do that dude. Elena needs you." Stefan said with fear.

"Why does she need me?" I looked at him, confused.

"She's a great girl and she loves you but you know she's dealing with stuff don't you?"

"Wait did she tell you about what happened?" I wondered.

"You know?" Stefan was confused.

"Yeah I found her. How do you know?" I raised my eyebrow.

"I walked in on her a while back when she was getting dressed and I saw the b-"

"You saw the scars?" I asked him.

"Scars?" Stefan questioned.

"Her self harm scars." I was starting to confuse myself.

"What?" Stefan's eyes widened.

"Fuck you didn't know?" I felt so bad for letting that out.

"No I do know." He paused. "I didn't know it was self harm."

"Listen Stefan she's been through a lot of grief and this is how she copes with it. She promised me she would try and stop." I felt guilty for not checking in on her about it but I knew I hadn't seen any fresh cuts in awhile so I felt like it wasn't my place to remind her that she could do it again.

"I know but don't you think she would be better having you around?" He asked me.

"Not if I'm anyway like how I was the last time Mom came into town. The last thing she needs is to take care of me when she's struggling with her own recovery and her brother." I worried for her to know me at my worse and I didn't want to put her through that.

"I don't know man. Be careful you don't want to loose her forever." He looked worried.

"Are you going to be okay Stef?" I asked him.

"I'll manage."

"Don't do that with me. I know you're hurting."

"There's no point." Stefan got up and walked away.

I stood up awhile later. It was dark and gloomy. I walked to my car and I drove home. I snuck in quietly so I wouldn't be noticed. I thought about all of my options. I could leave and I know I would make it fine on my own. I knew that I couldn't leave Stefan and he was too young to come with me. I can't afford my own place right now. I just didn't want to be here in the same house as that woman. She was the reminder of everything bad in life.

Elena's POV

I woke up my phone ringing. I rubbed my eyes and I turned my light on. I looked at my clock and it wasn't even midnight yet. I picked up my phone. I thought it would be Damon but it wasn't. It was my brother.

"You never called." He slurred on the phone.

"He's still knocked out." I figured since he was still on the floor.

"I'm gonna be away for a few days. Try and figure out what he remembers." Jeremy said.

"What? You can't leave me here alone." I was scared to be here.

"I can't come back right now. I'm sorry." He said as he hung up.

I couldn't stay here. There was no way I could be here without Jeremy. I got my stuff and I snuck out of the house. It was so dark out so I pulled out my phone and I called Damon but he didn't answer. I sighed and I called Bonnie and she agreed to let me stay for the night. I walked fifteen minutes to her house.

I texted her when I got there and she let me in. "Hey. I'm so sorry."

"It's fine." She smiled.

We walked upstairs and sat in her bed. "Thank you."

"What happened?" She asked me.

"My brother and uncle got into a fight so I just wanted to chill somewhere not loud." I lied.

"Got it. Well my dad doesn't allow sleepovers on school nights so you'll have to go back home after tonight." She said.

"Yeah it'll be fine by tomorrow." I smiled.

We gossiped for awhile everything from the teachers to the cheerleaders and the rich kids. I found out that there might even be a throuple at school so we spent most of the night figuring out who it could be. We finally gave up and then we both fell asleep.

Author's Note:

Merry Christmas! Please review it would mean a lot to me.