Chapter 8
Party time

They arrived at Aaron's and waited for the cops who were, of course, late.
The house was medium sized, a bit old, not really well kept from the outside but it didn't matter what it looked like, for Aaron it was home and home was better than jail, he'd sleep in his own bed, see his friends and no one would beat him to a pulp.

-«If I could face the judge without being scared he'd revoke my license for what I said during the trial, I'd sue the state for having to get Aaron back to jail to change and get his stuff instead of letting him go free at for the cuffs at his ankles too, it was ridiculous and inhuman, especially with broken ribs and a twisted ankle. » She sighed standing on the pavement arms crossed over her chest looking at the road.

-«Look at you now.» Damon said, he was standing next to her hands in his pockets more relaxed than she was. «Taking the bad boy's side. I won't say I was happy to see what happened to him but he's tough, he's seen worse.»

She turned her head to look at him. «I don't care if he's seen worse or not, I'm not saying this because he's your friend or because I'm supposed to sympathize with the MC, there's just you and me here, I'm not acting. I hate when the system tries to break people even more than they already are just because it can. I'm ambitious, I'm not a monster. Oh, perfect, here they are… almost a hour late. Since you can't get in you better call the others and tell them not to be here until seven… if you may.» She was pissed at the cops, not at Damon, she had to calm down and stop being rude, she had been earlier today, probably what some could have called bitchy. In her crusade to make clear she was her own master she had crossed a line, he'd been himself, a MC guy, but decent with her, she had to give him that. «I'm sure the booze will already be paid for but let me hand you one later, as a peace offering. Right now I'm going back to lawyer mode.» She crossed the short distance between the bike they were standing near to and the car that just parked in front of the house. «What happened to five o'clock?» She asked the man who got out of the vehicle first «don't tell me you got stuck in trafic, my client should have been on his way home the minute the judge made his decision. » A second man got out of the car and aimed for the truck without even looking at her, the first opened the door for Aaron and he took his time to get out, he was as sore as he'd been in the morning, on that matter things didn't change miraculously, his hand were cuffed since he wasn't yet equipped with the tracking device but at least he was dressed as a civilian this time. «Welcome home Aaron, nice to see you in the light of day.» The now almost free man smiled at her, he liked the shit she was giving to the guys he'd ridden with.

-«Hey lawyer.» He said and when he saw Damon his smile widened. It was a shame he couldn't give his best friend a hug now, he'd missed him and the safety of being in his own town with his own people no matter how dangerous they could be. «I'll thank you when they'll finish with their shit and fuck the hell off.»

-«Yeah but hold you tongue until then.» She was aware how those words could ring in the cops ears and she was glad they'd leave wondering if she was sleeping with her client. The word could spread she didn't care it'd serve her cause. She didn't see Damon frown at their little verbal battle but she saw him moving closer to her. Aaron was on their side - well she was on theirs - he had nothing to worry about, she didn't need him to play the alpha male. She gave him a quick look. «The house is obviously that way guys.» She let Damon wait there and followed the men as they walked to the house. She had the cops free Aaron's hands so he could open the door himself.

The three of them were now sitting on the porch with cold beers in their hands taking a breather, the others would arrive soon.

-«I'm glad the front yard if not that big I can barely go get my mail, even the pavement is out of range with that shit around my ankle.» Aaron said pulling the leg of his jeans up revealing more bruised skin.

-«Then don't wander in the shade in the back yard, it's wider.» Elena Joked. «Aaron, I want a doctor to come and see you, we have to document those wounds in case the prison nurse, for some obscur reasons, misplaces your file.»

-«Nah, what's done is done.» He took a long gulp of his beer.

-«Bro, she got you out, if she needs more amo give her more amo, ok?» Damon intervened. «She slapped the judge on the face for you, that check-up isn't much, it's an insurance for her.»

-«'She' is here but yeah, you're right, I need to cover my back. Who knows, if things go over hill and I can get out of it I'll have to be able to work, and probably move far far away.» They'd already talked about her being in and ready to work with them against the MC. Aaron was a man of few words and he trusted Damon in his choice. It was a damn right choice, what she'd done for him was proof enough to his eyes. He wouldn't let her double cross them anyway.

-«Whatever, I'll be home anyway.» He didn't have much more to say but if he had he'd have been cut short by the sound of the engines of the bikes who had now taken a turn on the road. -« Here we go, the dreaded party's going to start.»

-«I'll protect you doll.»

-«This is my job and careful, don't call her doll, she bites.» Damon got on his feet and walked to the front yard, passed the mailbox, to welcome everyone. His expression hardened when he saw bikes and kuttes that weren't Ravens'. Great, Nomads had joined the party, what the hell were they doing here? One by one the bikes got parked on the side of the road. More than half the MC was there, some with girls and five Nomads who had company too.

Nomads were sort of freelancers, there were too many to count and they lived on the road never settling down at the same place for long, they were going from deal to deal, helping MCs on the road, trading with them making alliances here and there. Those he'd never seen before must have showed up at the bar when they'd left and introduce themselves to Giuseppe. As the VP he should have been warned, what the hell was happening here exactly? He gave his father a look and the only answer he got was 'later son, party first'. He hadn't expected to enjoy himself this evening, except for the fact he had his friend back he had nothing to be happy for - or maybe a bit, he had Elena on his side - and he really didn't like surprises.

The guys got on the front porch and gave Aaron hugs, handshakes, pats on the shoulder and from the newcomers nods of respect. Elena stood on the side trying to look fine with all this, doing a great job. Damon joined her and offered her his hand to hold. She grabbed it glad he offered, it was stupid really but it made her feel more confident.

-« I'm not a specialist but seems like some of those guys aren't Ravens. Am I wrong?» Elena said just for him to hear.

-«Yeah, you got that well. Something's cooking I don't know what but better not get too friendly with those guys.» He laced their fingers and this time it was more for himself and his own anger management. «They're Nomads, passers by, supposedly close to our club but I have no clue why they're here, could be nothing.» She could hear in his hushed voice he wasn't happy, she'd ask more about it later, now was not the time.

-«You got your best friend back, get the win, have a drink, relax a bit, I know you won't close the eyes you have behind your head but you have to keep your cool, you're parading with your 'old lady' tonight.» He looked down at her and rolled his eyes at her words.

-«It's more you parading with me, this party is for Aaron and for you. Some like Troy or my father are hard to impress, the others already like you. It doesn't mean they're your friends but I can tell they're thankful for what you did for us.»

Coolers had been brought on the patio and beers were passed from hand to hand, Santos who had been talking to Aaron offered them two bottles when they moved closer. He'd come with his wife that he introduced to Elena. She was a fifty something woman wearing a flannel shirt, jeans and biker boots, she was nothing like she had imagined the wife of a MC member could be, unlike some other girls she could see there she seemed… normal. Elena slapped herself mentally, enough with the prejudices, Santos, leather jacket with patches and Raven on the back aside looked like a normal guy too, he was a mechanic, whatever money he made with the MC - if he took his share - he seemed to be a down to earth kind of person, his wife, Mindy, too. This was another lesson, MC members were all different, in ages, looks, needs… and tastes in women. As one of the Originals, Santos must have seen and heard a lot, like Michael, like Giuseppe it didn't mean she had to put them all in the same basket. Yeah, it was going to be hard to understand who took the worst decisions and who should really pay - except for Giuseppe who she intended to put in jail for a long long time.

So many people lives could change because of what she, Damon and Aaron had planned to do. At this thought Elena downed her beer faster than she had intended to, she had to be careful not to get drunk and lose control.

-«Everything's ok?» Damon asked when he saw her expression change. He had traded linked hands for an arm around her shoulders during the conversation with Santos and Mindy, it'd felt so natural.

-«Perfectly fine, just keep your eyes on how many bottles pass through my hands tonight, it's going to be hard not to get drunk at this rate.»

-«I will if you want me to but, you can keep a full bottle in hand no one will force you to carry two at the same time you know.»

-«It's not really what I meant.» She sighed but worked on her poker face. He pulled her closer in sort of a comforting gesture.

-«I get it, you need a breather?»

-«No, let's do this.»

And they did, went through short and long conversations with people here and there, it was crazy but at some point a barbecue got lit and burgers and hot dogs got served by tall and scary but smiling men. Elena had very conflicted thoughts in her head now, it was hard to question your own rules, what you've been taught, your morals. Today she had learned Damon had killed people, she was sure Aaron had been in the same situation, probably all the guys here had faced that dilemma and women too. She wanted to be a real lawyer, take that Elena, nothing is completely dark or light, a lot is in between - not that it justified murder - she was now a bit lost and needed the breather Damon had offered earlier. It was 2 AM now they'd seen a lot of people, avoided the Nomads though at some point one came to say hello and under Giuseppe's watch Damon acknowledged his presence they'd done enough for the day.

-«I'm a bit toasted,» Damon said after they properly took their leave, meaning a nod to Giuseppe and a pat on Aaron's back «I'm taking you to mine.»

-«Is that what you had in mind when you told me to pack a bag, taking me to your place?» She knew it wasn't what he'd planned she was just pulling his leg and he could hear it in her tone.

-«Yeah, you saw right through me. Actually I was thinking of a motel but with those guys in town I rather be in a place I know and can defend, since it's a where I go, you go, situation…» He handed her the helmet and she took it, he was right and she was tired, so she just sat at the back of the bike. He didn't comment the fact she didn't complain about the change of plan, he liked not having to argue with her again.

He drove them past the border of Mystic Falls and only stopped a few miles west in Conyers where he had an actual house.

Why did it came as a surprise to Elena that Damon could have a place of his own? He was an adult, had money - though not clean - and the room at the MC couldn't be all he had, still, when he parked the Harley in the alley at the front of a small house, she was really amazed. The area was fine, the outside of the house was clean, it had no fence or pretty flowerbeds but it was better kept that Aaron's house.

He took her helmet when she took it off, grabbed her bag and walked to the door, unlocked it - he had several locks - and let her in. She gave him a side look and she got inside and again, she hadn't expected the house to be that wide and clean. She noticed that except for a few things here and there the place barely looked lived in. On the left there was a living room with two leather couches, a coffee table and a wide screen TV, the right an open kitchen and at the back two doors, one that probably led to the bedroom, the other a bathroom, a third on the right must have led to the garage. The walls were white and bare except for a framed poster of a rock band above the unused chimney.

-«This place is … nice.» She walked to the living room putting distance between them, he'd been in her personal space way too much lately and riding with him arms around his waist was a bit overwhelming at times.

-«You probably expected me to live in a cave, well, I don't.» He locked the door behind him but put the keys on the kitchen counters, it was a habit, he didn't intend to trap her. It was his safe place, he didn't want the outside world to creep in. No one ever came here except for his closest friends which meant his only friend. None of his conquests had ever come here either, they weren't welcome in his life. And here she was and he put her bag on one of the sofas. «I have a cozy bed and it's yours tonight, I'll sleep here, please don't lock the door, I won't come in unless you're in danger which shouldn't happen.»

-«Paranoid much?» She sat ungraciously on a sofa, her legs could barely hold her anymore, today had been very challenging.

-«Always. It's the very reason I'm here talking to you.» He sat on the other couch, he too was tired, he too needed a break, as tough as he was, he wasn't unbreakable.

-«You passed this on to me really but I think I went through the day without too much for a bit of my sanity. » She sighed and let the sofa swallow her a bit, damned it felt comfy.

-«Are you still buzzed or just really tired?» It was probably the first time she was talking without defying him or trying to take the upper hand. «From my perspective you nailed the day, professionally with the trial, how you dealt with the cops, and with the guys at the MC and at Aaron's. If I had to pick a totem animal for you I'd go for a wild cat you have one hell of an instinct, teeth and claws, of that I'm sure, and maybe somewhere you're soft to the touch. Before you ask, it's a compliment, take it or leave it but it's the way I see you right now.»

-«You know what, I'm going to take the compliment, I'm even going to apologize, if not for everything, at least for pushing you a bit too hard on some stuff. I can't promise I won't do it again but seeing those guys tonight, how you live, I learned a few things not just about them, or you, but about me too. Yes I'm tired, I probably wouldn't say all this if I wasn't but it's the truth and since, so far, you haven't lied to me, I probably should do the same with you.» She really wanted to dive into what they'd talked about at the grill but she had had too much already, this would have to wait. It's not as if he wasn't going to be around pretty much all the time now. «Grab a pillow and some covers because I'm going to steal your bed before I fall asleep on this way too cozy couch.»

-«Hmmm» Damon smiled lazily «You're taking a compliment and apologizing, you're definitely drunk.» He got up and stretched his sore muscles. «The bathroom is right behind you, you'll have the bedroom for yourself in a minute.» He gave her her bag and disappeared in the bedroom.

She didn't want to move, she was so comfy on that couch but she got on her feet, she was so drained but she had to brush her teeth and get out of those clothes that smelled of beer and cigarette. She got in the bathroom, in the white light she looked like a zombie, this MC thing was sucking out all her energy. She got out and almost bumped into Damon who had everything he needed to sleep on the couch in his arms.

-«Sorry… and thanks for the bedroom.» This was a weird ending to a crazy day, she was going to sleep in Damon Salvatore's bed when he was going to sleep in his own living room not that she wanted to share, no way, it was just… The outlaw, the big bad brother she'd heard about from Stefan's mouth and through his memories, the man who had killed people - or maybe just one person, it was still murder - had held her hand all day, given her confidence and he was respecting her space now she needed it. He'd taken her shit, giving some back to her but never losing his temper. She didn't know what to think about all this, but the words that came in her head over and over was 'weird' with 'unexpected' as a close second. The most crazy thing was that she felt safe with him around. She felt like she was on top of a rollercoaster, looking down wondering if she'd fell off the wagon. She really needed to sleep right? Everything would be clearer in the morning. Right? «Goodnight.» She closed the door behind her - not locking it as he'd asked - and looked at the room. It was like the rest of the house, white and bare walls, the bed had a dark blue cover and matching pillows and just a few clothes on a chair let her believe it really was Damon's bedroom, black tee shirts and jeans, a pair of boots under a chair, this place was just functional and could be left behind easily, she really believed he wanted to go away. But the bed called her and she put on an oversized tee she had shoved in her bag and got under the covers. For as impersonal the place was, Damon liked his comfort, the mattress was even more welcoming than the couch.

In the living room another brain was rewinding the events of the day, stopping on a few of them. Laying on his couch, head on the pillow, Damon was thinking of how confident Elena could be, how fragile too. Above all that he though about how strong she made him feel. In court she'd been more than efficient, she was like a fish in the sea, in her element, in Mystic Falls, at the Club, she had needed him to hold her hand but it'd only been to kickstart the engine, just let her know she had sort of a bodyguard, she went through the rest with ease. Same for the party and now that he thought of it, he'd needed it as much as her. It wasn't a 'she's the brain, I'm the muscles' kind of thing it was more 'I'm here for you, you're her for me'. He too had to adjust to the novelty of this, except for Aaron, he never had someone he could rely on by his side. She didn't even run out of the grill screaming when he told her how dirty his hands were, she could have, probably should have. He didn't know what to think about her apology either. Using someone was easy, coming to an understanding and dragging that someone in your life was something else. He was as much in unknown territory as she was.

None of them were mind readers so they couldn't really know what was in each other's head. They didn't know they were more or less walking on the same tracks going in the same direction now. But there were so many things they still had to understand, about each other, sure, but more importantly about the MC, about Troy, Giuseppe, the Nomads… something was cooking and they had to know what new poison was in the boiling cauldron.

TBC