It's been a very long day and Elena decides here and now that she doesn't like birthdays, not anymore. Everyone feels the need to congratulate her for being a year older, they say 'Happy birthday' without specifying what it means. She, on the other hand, feels obliged to return the smiles and thank them for their kindness, marvel at the gifts they present, and pretend this is where she wants to be at the moment.

As if...

No one ever asks her how she wants to spend her day, no one will believe she just wants to go to bed early, listen to some music, or watch a movie.

Alone.

Caroline, of course, felt the need to throw her a surprise party. She saw it coming last week. She got many salutations at school, the ones from her pupils really warmed her heart.

Caroline picked her up after lunch, insisting on taking her home. Then she remembered she had to stop at some club to book a table for next week to celebrate Tyler and her ten-month anniversary, Yeah sure, and... surprise, surprise! We have a birthday party here. Her parents after feigning an invite the week before were there too, obviously in on Care's plans from the get-go.

Elena sighs as she pays for the cab and pulls out her keys, relieved to finally be home so she can go to bed. It was incredibly nice, all her friends and colleagues spending time with her to make her day special, but there's nothing special about it, really. Not anymore.

She turns on the porch light to unlock the door and notices there's something stuffed in the mailbox that shouldn't be there at this hour, she had already collected her today's mail.

More congratulations?

She unlocks the door, drops the bag with her many presents, and lays the flowers on the table next to the door. Hesitating for a moment, she considers whether she should bring it or leave it till the morning.

It's still her birthday. Maybe...

The small yet stuffed package doesn't have an address on it, it wasn't delivered by the mailman, Damon. Someone simply shoved it in her box. It crosses her mind if it's safe to open but she quickly dismisses the thought, it's wild speculation even in these days of insanity. Taking it inside, she closes the door and locks it for the night. In no hurry she makes herself a cup of coffee, her eyes turning back to the package every now and then. For some reason, she has a feeling it's somehow important.

She lasts another half hour, carefully unwrapping the brown paper to see what's inside.

Letters.

Everyone is addressed to her.

She recognizes the handwriting.


Finishing up another round with Enzo, Damon excuses himself to shower and change. After saying goodbye to his sparring partner, he jogs across the street to the little café to get something to eat. He takes a seat by the window, ordering a Reuben sandwich with fries and coleslaw.

Pulling out his phone, he sees a couple of messages from Ric but since he's not in the mood to talk to him right now, he shoves it back in his pocket. His mind drifts to the night before when he stealthily set the package in Elena's mailbox.

Quite honestly, he felt a little on edge all day about whether he'd hear from her or not. Either she wasn't home when he dropped off today's mail or she didn't have anything to say to him. Sighing, he picks up his drink to take a swallow while his eyes drift towards the window.

A dirty blonde man with blue eyes passes by with a redhead on his arm. He's taken aback by the resemblance, his hand shaking slightly but enough to make the soda slosh in the glass.

Having won his case in court the day before, Damon's feeling pretty good when he gets to work the next morning. He stops to pick up his mail and exchanges pleasantries with his secretary before going into his own office. Sitting down, he thumbs through the letters, tosses them on the desktop, and leans back in his chair to relax for a few minutes. His schedule is full with his first client due to arrive in an hour.

"Come in," he says when a rap sounds on his door. "Morning Andie."

"You going to the conference room?"

"Yep," Damon gets up to join her. Together they join the others, and after pouring himself a cup of coffee and grabbing a pastry, he takes his place at the large oval table. Taking a bite, he pauses when he sees the way the others are giving him lamentable looks including George Lockwood, one of the senior partners staring at him.

"Is something wrong?" Damon sets his Danish down and wipes his mouth with a napkin. His usual swagger flees faster than a gambler from a bookie as his eyes dart around back and forth.

"You might say that. Luke Parker was arrested last night in connection with the murder of Sophie Deveraux. He did a really sloppy job, Chief Jordan told me that, unlike last year, 'this time' they have more than enough evidence to convict him."

"He killed her?" Damon repeats, staring stone-faced at George.

"That's what I'm telling you."

"Oh God," Damon looks down, his heart thuds violently against his chest at the sight of his crimson-red stained hands. He tries to shake himself out of what he knows is his imagination but then the stench of blood floods into his nostrils making his stomach churn painfully.

Ashen-faced, nausea claws at his insides as he stumbles out of the room. Barely making it to the bathroom, he lurches forward and sinks to his knees, losing his meager stomach contents. The pungent stench invades his senses as bile continues to dribble from his quivering lips.

When he hears the slide of the glass plate against the tabletop, he looks up at the waitress. Damon picks at his food a little before pushing it away. Throwing a twenty on the table, he hurries out of the place, his troubled mind being just the tip of the iceberg...


Damon pulls on his jeans then flops down on the bed and curls around Onyx. Using his fingers, he starts to pet her, soon drawing a relaxing purr from the little creature. Closing his eyes, he tries to will himself to relax but it's a losing task. Sucking in a breath, he runs his palm over her tiny form once more and gets up, ready to meet his executioners...


"Damon," his mother pulls him into her arms as soon as she opens the door. His nerves are frayed but he's hiding that to the best of his ability. In his building anxiety, he constructs elaborate rationalizations for why everything will turn out alright, but still, the nagging voice in the back of his mind speaks of nothing but doom ahead. Everything about his family is intense. He missed them so much, he'd choke on that emotion. And yet, he feels like being suffocated.

"It's good to see you too, Mom," he kisses her cheek. Her embrace is as warm as ever, he can sense she's barely holding it, and that makes two of them.

"Look what the cat dragged in," Rebekah arches an eyebrow, coming into the foyer to meet him.

Damon forces a smile, his eyes snap open when she links their arms to lead him into the living room. And there they are, his family. All of them.

"Hi Uncle Damon," Elijah comes inside through the patio door with a basketball under one arm.

"Hey," he starts, feeling relief that this part of the conversation seems easy enough, "I saw you play a few weeks ago," he catches the ball when the boy shoots it toward him.

"You saw me?" he asks excitedly.

"I did, you made a couple of baskets. I'm proud of you."

"Grandpa, he came to see me."

"That's great Elijah. Now why don't you go out and practice some more? I'll be out in a little bit, okay?"

"You too, Uncle Damon?"

"It's been a long time, buddy, maybe next time?" Damon leans back onto the couch and crosses one leg over the other. With a smile on her face, Lily sits down next to him, seeking closeness after such a long absence.

"Damon, you look... um a little worse for wear," Stefan mentions, taking a long pull from his beer bottle.

"Stefan," Giuseppe gives him a disapproving look.

"Busy day, we're talking about widening some roads to ease the congestion. People complain about the bottleneck leading into town from the 42," he quickly finishes his beer and sets the empty bottle on the end table. "I'm getting paid a bundle as the city engineer, I guess I should earn it," he laughs, pulling Rebekah onto his lap.

Damon mentally rolls his eyes at his brother's antics. He knows how he looks and Stefan's obvious display of successful life can't get to him.

Especially since he knows it's his brother's uncertainty that makes Stefan ultra-competitive.

Encouraged by the thought Damon gives a reassuring smile to his mother and puts his arm around her shoulders. After all, it's her and dad who he decided to come for.

His determination doesn't last for long though. Hearing the familiar clip-clop of her Manolo heels, Damon drops his chin to his chest, bracing for her onslaught.

"Damon, look at you," Katherine walks in, scrutinizing his form, making him uneasy under her stare.

"Hello, Katherine," he uncrosses his legs and stiffens his posture. Being around her feels like walking into a storm, hindering each one of his steps.

"So how long are you going to play mailman?" she asks acerbically, sitting on the arm of their father's chair.

"I'm not playing mailman, it's my job. There's this thing called money, it's green, perhaps you've seen it?"

"You don't need to be an ass. An attorney carries a certain prestige. Not only that but you would get tons more money returning to that profession," she looks down on the end of her nose at him. "And besides that, why on earth would you choose something like a mailman? If you don't want to be a criminal defense attorney, maybe you could work in the DA's office."

"Katherine, stop," Giuseppe interrupts.

"No Daddy, you're a Judge, surely you can't agree with him?"

Sucking in a breath, Damon knots his hands together. He knew tonight would be nerve-wracking but his are frayed to the quick. In his building anxiety, he tries to tell himself that everything will turn out alright, but still, the nagging voice in the back of his mind speaks of nothing but doom. His heart is racing, butterflies are fluttering chaotically in his belly and his palms are clammy. He feels his mother's presence next to him. He loves her dearly and although grateful for her silent support, right now it doesn't bring him any comfort. The sound of his dad's voice provides an anchor in the raging sea that is his mind.

"Enough, it's his life to do as he pleases."

"You don't mean that," Katherine starts, her words dying on her lips when she notices a slight tremor in Damon's hands and the wild look in his eyes. "I recognize that look," she points at him before blurting out hysterically. "You're not going to start drinking again are you?"

Suddenly the room is deathly silent, all eyes falling on Damon, including Elijah who's standing in the half-open patio door.

Having had enough for one night, Damon jumps to his feet and shoots daggers at Katherine with fury in his eyes. "That's exactly what I'm going to do, anything I can to drown out your voice."

Without saying goodbye, he takes off before any of them can make a move to try to stop him.


After driving around for a while, Damon finally comes home to Onyx. He's grateful for the small black feline. There's no judgment, no hate, no disappointment, only love. Exhausted emotionally and physically, he strips out of his clothes and crawls into bed, laying the cat on the pillow beside him. He stares at the ceiling for the longest time when the vibration of his cell phone gets his attention. Picking it up, he reads the text from his dad, asking if he's okay.

"Fuck," he mumbles then dials the familiar number.

"Damon?"

"I'm fine Dad."

"I'm sorry about tonight, Damon."

"I know," Damon sighs. "I'm going to bed, I'll see you soon okay?"

"Goodnight son."

"Night," Damon ends the call, tosses the phone aside, and shifts onto his side. He smiles when Onyx stretches and repositions herself next to his chest. Petting her gently, he closes his eyes and falls asleep to the sound of her rhythmic purr.


It's been a day since Elena received the letters, actually delivered by her mailman, Damon.

She couldn't make herself open them, she knew she needed to prepare for what she might see when she does read it. For a while, Elena just wants to revel in the fact that Damon did write her, did think about her, and hasn't erased her from his life as if they never happened.

So she gave herself a day.

The whole day having all these letters lying on her bedside table, knowing they were there while she was at school, they became part of her reality. A reality in which Damon did leave but never left emotionally.

Nestled down in bed and with trembling fingers, Elena takes the first one and opens it.

Dear Elena...


Thank you, everyone. I appreciate each and every one of you. Thanks for still loving Damon and Elena. As if we could ever not love them :D

Thank you, Eva, Kate, O, Sarah, and Jarka.

Chapter title: Another Day by Dream Theater.

I haven't had 3 stories in progress for many years. I did start a new story yesterday. "It's All Coming Back to Me: On the brink of his wedding, Damon discovers the annulment papers from his teenage marriage were never filed, meaning he's still married to the girl he left behind."

Have a great day and a wonderful weekend.