"I know you don't want to hear it but you've never been the most rational person where Damon Salvatore is concerned," the blonde lifts her eyes from her new manicure to consider Elena. "He stood you up again, probably because he was drunk somewhere and the fact that you're even considering going anywhere near him is a bad idea. How many times are you going to allow him to hurt you?"

"Caroline, I don't believe he was drunk somewhere. Ric told me he's been a stellar employee so far, with no absences, very conscientious. Something else stopped him from coming over that day."

"If you really believed that, why have you made it a point of being gone when he's due to deliver your mail?"

"In the days following that Saturday, yes, I made sure I was gone but we've been so busy at school, avoiding him hasn't been entirely intentional."

"Listen to yourself, Elena. You're making excuses for him just like you've always done," Caroline gets up to pour herself another cup of coffee.

"No, Care, I'm not. It's not just Ric, I ran into Rebekah in the grocery store, and she told me too that Damon's so far managed to stay dry."

"Listen to yourself," Caroline bores into her with one of her disapproving glares

"We're not together!"

"Consider that fact alone, that you had to get information from people who talk to him regularly while he keeps avoiding even a simple conversation with you should be telling enough?" Caroline knows well that this has been bothering Elena since the beginning.

"I know but that doesn't mean I can just turn off my feelings for him. Would it kill you to be a little supportive?"

"I'll always be here for you but this continued obsession with Damon is only going to end badly and guess who will have to pick up the pieces again?" she arches an eyebrow at Elena.

"I'm sorry I'm such a chore for you. I'm not obsessed with Damon but since you clearly don't believe that people can change, I think this conversation is over." Elena gets up and opens the door, extending her arm wordlessly saying that she wants Caroline to leave.

"Elena?"

"Caroline, I love you but I don't want to discuss this anymore with you. I'd like to be alone now."

"Fine, I'll call you this evening," she picks up her bag and walks out of the house, her Valentino heels clicking against the sidewalk.

Shutting the door, Elena busies herself around the house. She stops when catches a glimpse of the photo Rebekah took of her and Damon at the beach, the one where they're kissing. "What happened to you Damon?" she shakes her head and sets it back down. Restless and in need of some conversation, she picks up her keys, jumps in her car, and drives away

What she doesn't see is Damon's truck pulling into her neighborhood at the same time she's departing.

Again.


After seeing Elena drive away, Damon finished his route, dropped off the truck, and drove straight to the AA meeting. The physiologic reaction he has whenever he's there is palpable. He sweats, his stomach churns, his heart pounds, and sweat forms on his palms and forehead yet he still goes.

The alternative simply isn't tenable.

He manages to sit through a couple of testimonials, leaving only when they break for refreshments. With his nerves firing chaotically, he drives to Enzo's place, grateful that he makes it before his friend locks the place up for the day.

"Damon," Enzo looks up from picking up towels to put in the laundry.

"Enzo, if you're going to close up, I can go." He picks up a couple of empty water bottles and throws them in the garbage.

"How about I lock up and then we'll talk, it's pretty clear that something is on your mind."

"You're not wrong," he looks up and forces a smile.

Enzo lights up the closed sign and locks the door. He gestures for Damon to go into his office. Once he's seated, Enzo pulls a bottle of root beer out of his fridge and offers one to Damon. Looking over at his friend, he wonders if he should tell him about Elena's visit.

"That actually sounds good. Do you have any vanilla ice cream in the freezer?"

"No but I'll get some and next time, we'll have floats," he takes a swallow. "Did you have an AA meeting?"

"I just came from there. I'm trying Enzo, But every time I go there, I feel like I'm going to have a panic attack. I know the organization helps a lot of people, it just isn't getting any easier for me, it's getting harder. It's like the slow walk to the gallows. I can't go through the door."

"I can't tell you what to do, Damon," he takes a long swallow of his soda.

"Did you go to AA?"

"No, I didn't. I quit cold turkey. DTs are hell..." Enzo's gaze drifts somewhere else.

"They are," Damon shudders. "They told me I was incoherent, I don't honestly remember them."

"I forgot to tell you that I got a request from the school. Those kids really enjoyed their time here and want to continue. You were good with them, I'd appreciate your help."

"I had a good time. You've been great, Enzo, I'd be glad to help you out."

"Good, how about we go get a cheeseburger? I'm suddenly famished."

"Let's go then," Damon finishes his root beer and shoots his empty can into the waste basket. Afterward, they exit through the back entrance where Enzo parks his car every day.

"I'll meet you at Vinny's," Enzo calls through his open window as he drives off. Having seen how agitated Damon got just talking about his meeting, he's certain he made the right decision about keeping Elena's surprise visit to himself.

Yet.

Damon nods, jumps into his car, and follows after him.


"Hold on, Elijah, we're almost there. I thought you'd have eaten at home before your mom dropped you off, otherwise, I'd have arranged to leave work earlier."

"It's okay, Daddy...," Elijah, always patient with his parents watches the traffic outside the window.

Klaus attempts to smile at him in the rear-view mirror but in his opinion, it rather turns out bitter. If Katherine wasn't so damn stubborn...

"Is it a real restaurant, Daddy?" The prospect of supper at a restaurant with his dad sounds exciting. They don't do this often as Klaus usually cooks for them.

"Sure," the smile finally comes naturally. "It's a nice place and you can order anything you want. Well, except for alcohol, you're not old enough."

His son gives him a radiant smile and it actually works to improve the sour mood Klaus always gets in when Kat inflicts her charming ways at him. Frankly, she can be a witch but damn if she's not the hottest woman he's ever met. He'd happily reconcile but this time it's gone too far. He's not a schoolboy and she has to see his point. Unfortunately, there's a very slim chance she'll be introspective, see her own mistakes and try to change.

When they reach Vinny's Smokin' Good Burger, Klaus parks the car and the two Mikaelsons go inside the restaurant.


As they're waiting for a table, Elijah tugs on his dad's shirt sleeve. "It's Uncle Damon, please, dad, can we sit with him?"

"He's dining with someone, I don't know if he wants us to interrupt?"

"He won't mind," the boy insists. "Uncle Damon," he says just loud enough for him to hear it.

Damon looks over his shoulder, smiling when he sees his nephew and brother-in-law. "Excuse me, Enzo, I'm going to say hello to them."

"Do you want me to order you something to drink?"

"Sprite, I won't be long," he gets up and approaches his relatives.

"Elijah, Klaus," he shakes the man's hand.

"Can you eat with us?"

"I'm already having supper with my friend, I'll ask him." Damon walks back to his table and a moment later, gestures with his hand for them to join himself and Enzo.

Damon introduces Elijah who takes the chair between his dad and his uncle. Just as they're all getting seated the waitress approaches, handing them all menus, returning a short time later with their drinks and to take their orders.

Damon orders the "Wiseguy" burger with pepper jack cheese with an egg on top. The rest order too, Elijah, curious about an egg on a hamburger decides to try it himself.

"Papa and Dad came to my school on career day," Elijah mentions, taking a swallow from his water glass.

"That was fun," Damon offers, sitting back when the waitress slides his plate in front of him.

"It was. Papa told the class about being a judge, it was pretty interesting. Dad talked about real estate. Maybe next time you can come?" he looks at his uncle with bright eyes.

"Your uncle is busy with his job, Elijah. He works during your school hours."

"We'll see, buddy." Damon cuts his burger in half with his knife and takes a bite.

Enzo is mostly quiet, observing the family dynamics. The boy seems to idolize Damon which is both good and bad, he won't want to let the kid down but sometimes it's hard to stay on the straight and narrow.

The group enjoys a nice meal and when the waitress brings their check, Klaus grabs it from her, determined to pay the tab.

"You don't have to do that, Nik but thanks. I'll leave the tip," Damon pulls out a twenty dollar bill from his wallet and lays it on the table as they exit the place.

He says a few words to Enzo, telling him he'll see him tomorrow, and then walks his family to their car.

"Bye Damon," Elijah gives him a hug around the middle.

"Bye kid," he ruffles his brown hair and opens the door for the boy to crawl in. He shakes Nik's hand, thanks him once again for the meal and watches them drive away before going to his car.

Sliding in, he sticks the key in the ignition and then rakes his hand through his hair at the thought of his sister. Katherine will no doubt find out about the meal from Elijah and then she'll come after him, like she always does.

Sighing, Damon turns the key, backs out of the parking lot, and drives home to his cat.

No judgment.

No cruel remarks.

Only love.


"She has a point, you know..."

"What? You too, Brutus?" Elena can't believe Bonnie would take Caroline's side.

Her friend chuckles. "Admit it, you're unable to think straight when it comes to him. It's always been this way."

Elena doesn't want to fight, she had enough with Caroline, and Bonnie's correct, she just isn't ready to give up on him yet.

If ever.

"Can we not discuss this now?" she whispers when she hears Kol calling as he's coming through the back door.

"Honey, I'm home!"

Bonnie shakes her head and rolls her eyes at Elena. "Whatever..." she pauses for dramatic effect. "I should be on my way."

"And where may I ask are you going? Should I feel offended that you're running away at the exact moment yours truly arrives?" Kol plops down on the couch looking silly.

"And here I thought you had enough teenagers at school, but that's clearly not the case otherwise you wouldn't become one yourself at the moment classes are over for the day," Bonnie gives him a hard look.

"I'd have come earlier but Rebekah was there, got sick and we all had to pamper her, really, why wasn't I born a woman?" Kol dramatically sighs and Elena must admit her friend might have a point, he's like a big kid sometimes.

"Because the human race would be in danger of extinction if you were a woman," Bonnie fires back and Elena chuckles.

"See? Women always have the upper hand."

"Okay, I've heard enough," she gets up and gives Elena a hug. "See you, girl... And you, probably too," she turns to Kol with a stare, which certainly won't spoil his good mood.

When they're alone, without asking, Elena hands him a beer and tries to ignore his inquisitive look.

"How is Rebekah?" she asks to interrupt the slowly creeping uncomfortable silence, not that she actually wants to hear about the pregnancy of Damon's family member.

"How are you?" Kol asks and there's no doubt he wants to hear the truth.

"I... okay, say it."

"Say what?"

"That you told me so."

He doesn't say a thing, just waits with a serious expression on his face.

"He didn't come," she sighs.

"What? You're only telling me this now, that four weeks ago he didn't show up? Clearly, you haven't talked it through yet."

"Kol?"

"Okay, Elena," he shakes his head, fixing his eyes on the window.

"Look I never said...," Elena starts but she's interrupted by a short but firm knock on the door.

Odd, usually people ring the doorbell.

"I'm coming," she shouts and gets up to open it. Kol follows behind in her footsteps.

Giuseppe...

She freezes in the doorway.

"Hello, Elena... may I come in?" he only now notices Kol behind her and for a moment considers if coming here was a mistake.

"Of course," she nods and gestures for him to come inside.

"Hello, Giuseppe, I should be going...," Kol exchanges glances with Elena and darts past them to beat a hasty retreat.

No matter how much he wishes things would be different, Kol knows what he has to do.


"It's been a long time...," Giuseppe starts the conversation when they settle in Elena's living room with a pot of fresh coffee.

"Yes," she agrees but has no intention of making this easier on him, it isn't her fault that they're in this weird place after all.

"I'm sorry for coming without calling first... I just wasn't sure you'd want to see me. And I needed to talk to you."

Elena isn't sure if she should laugh or cry. She's certain though, that opening her mouth might get her into trouble. First Katherine, now Damon's father? She can't even imagine what he needs from her. If he hopes she'll pick up the conversation... no fucking way.

He takes his time examining the interior, then his eyes land on the ring on her finger. Just like with Damon, she feels the need to protect it. She hides her hand under the table.

"I know I have no right, still I came here to ask you to give him a chance..."

At first, it doesn't make sense. Is he really here on Damon's behalf? What kind of person do they think she is anyway?

"Mr. Salvatore," she can see the hurt on his face and starts again. "Giuseppe, I have no idea where you get off coming to me now and telling me what to do. It's no secret that in your opinion I'm incapable of making the right decisions but I can assure you, I'm perfectly fine with who I am and will do what I consider the best given this situation. I am not the one refusing to talk. Perhaps you should ask your son about that?"

Giuseppe is caught off guard. He knew excluding Elena from their lives was a mistake but he never realized how great that mistake turned out to be. "Elena, I... can't even start to apologize for how poorly we treated you in the beginning and I guess I just thought after Damon left, we'd be the last people you wanted to see."

"Or maybe it was that you didn't want to see me? A living, breathing reminder of your son's struggles? Perhaps you blamed me for not being supportive enough or mature enough to stop his downward plunge?"

"No, no, Elena, that's not true. I... would give anything to change the past and should have found the courage to come to you earlier but I didn't. You have every right to be angry and I can't blame you for not buying my excuses, I have none anyway. But I beg you, don't give up on us, I'll try to make things better. And for the love of God, don't give up on Damon."

She needs to count to ten. She'd welcome a few alone minutes but she won't get them now. Does he think she's some kind of a monster? But he's Damon's father, Damon loves him and Giuseppe loves his son and she respects that. Besides, he's worried, she can understand that too.

"I'm not punishing Damon, he does that to himself. And it stops him from coming to me. He obviously feels more comfortable with you. It was weeks before I even knew he was back in town."

"We didn't either, Elena, not for a long time. It was a lucky coincidence that I ran into him. I was driving down the street and saw him entering a building. I nearly rear-ended the car in front of me. Imagine my surprise! It was only after I confronted him that he agreed to come to the house."

Elena nods. It's a small token of relief that he didn't confide in them while avoiding her but it will take a lot more than one conversation to repair the bad between all of them.

Giuseppe can see that too. "Please call, Elena. Anytime. I'd really like to make it up to you. And thank you for listening."

She won't stop him when he quickly gets up and leaves without ever touching his coffee. But she has a feeling things might get better.

If Damon will make the effort.


Damon leaves the gym after a few intense rounds with Enzo, today it was rather a friendly teasing. He pauses when he detects a tall figure leaning against his car.

What the hell...

Kol Mikaelson lazily draws up and nods. "You and I... need to talk."

Damon points at his car and gets inside right after Stefan's brother-in-law. Curiously, he looks up at him and waits.

"I should punch you but it seems someone's already done the beating."

Damon touches his nose and a bruise on the left cheekbone. "It's nothing, I've had worse. Suit yourself."

"Don't tempt me," Kol mutters and gives him a pointed look. "I'm here to ask why you are doing this. Why did you come back after almost two years and why do you keep hurting her? I really don't understand your reasoning here."

Is this guy kidding him? What does he even want? Should he just pack his things and vanish again so he and Elena can...

"You should be man enough to decide what you want and either fight for her or let her go, You're holding her back, keeping her from being the incredible woman she is, you didn't know what you had when you had it," Kol scoffs, frustrated with the man beside him. "If you still care, either do something about it or move on... for good."

"I thought you and Elena..."

"I don't care what you thought. And it doesn't matter what I think, because it only matters what she wants. You owe her a lot more than a conversation. I can promise though, if you hurt her again, I won't be the only one coming after you."

Kol scrambles out of the car and intends to slam the door shut but on impulse, he turns back to Damon for a parting shot.

"You know, she's never taken the ring off. Think about that."

With that, he finally returns to his own car, leaving Damon to absorb this unlikely conversation.


Thank you everyone. You're all amazing.

Chapter title: The Weight of My Sins - lyrics from Trans-Siberian Orchestra's 'What Is Eternal'.

This is a little peek at DE Holidays. "Hey, Santa," coming in December:

Elena sighs as she massages her aching temples. She points at the convenience store when her dad looks at her and steps out of the car.

Strolling over to it, she walks down the aisle looking for the health section for the Ibuprofen. She reaches for the last bottle and gasps when someone's hand lands on hers.

"Oh, sorry," Elena remarks as she pulls back and stares at the man beside her. He's drop-dead gorgeous with eyes as blue as the Hope Diamond and hair as black as the night sky void of stars. His presence is commanding.

"No, I'm sorry," Damon echoes the sentiment.

"I was here first," Elena states as they both reach for it again.

"I'm pretty sure we were here at the same time," Damon contends with a smirk.

"C'mon, I need it more." Elena looks at him with a soulful, innocent expression.

"I doubt that..."

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone.