Title: I CAN'T FIGHT HOW I FEEL, NOT ANYMORE
Type: Multipart Fic
Pairing: Damon, Elijah, Alaric (Stefan and Elena in the background)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Rating: M
Chapters: 3/?
Status: Incomplete
Summary: One of your 'Couple' buy a t-shirt or are given one by a friend with words on it in another language. They have no idea what it says, but it's actually quite sexual or provoking. The other of the 'Couple' knows exactly what it says and decides to do exactly what the t-shirt tells them. Written for the t-shirt signage challenge. WARNING: SLASH

AN/ He, he! Chapter three is here! Finally! I hope you'll like it and please review. I will now focus on IFYP and a few others I've neglected, so this is all for now. I have to think of some juicy scenes for our trio. I also think Alaric will be back in the next chapter, so be prepared for anything. *evil laugh*

DISCLAIMER: Don't own TVD, if I did, Alaric would be alive, and him, Damon and Elijah best buds.

Chapter 3

When Damon saw the disaster in the den, when he and Elijah came down, his eyes went wide with shock. He didn't realized he was THAT angry yesterday, but apparently, he was. He was rarely in that kind state of mind, but when ever he was, everything went black and he couldn't remember it afterwards.

Stefan and Elena looked up at their arrival and he felt ashamed since they were in the middle of cleaning the mess he created. Elijah seemed to know how he was feeling in this moment and he gave him a tight squeeze with his hand, comforting him. Damon looked up and in Elijah's eyes saw the understanding and reassurance.

"You don't have to do that." Damon spoke. "I made this mess and it's my job to clean it."

"We'll do it together." Stefan replied firmly, giving his brother a warm smile, which Damon returned.

"You okay?" Elena asked worriedly.

"Not yet, but I will be." Damon answered truthfully, throwing a quick glance at Elijah, who smiled at him.

For the rest of the day, they cleaned the room, all four of them. Together, in harmony. The guys carried the broken furniture outside first, then burned it, while Elena sorted the books on the shelves.

''You know, we sure give the repair men a lot of work.'' Stefan said, finishing his conversation with the man who will come and replace the broken windows.

''What do you mean?'' Elena asked.

''Do you know how many times have we changed the windows in this house?'' Stefan asked, smirking.

''At least six or seven times. Since we came back.'' Damon answered. ''Why bother with the door when you can come in through the window? At least, that is what obviously everyone who came at us, thinks.''

''Well, with how your ability is to make more enemies than friends, somehow I'm not surprised.'' Elijah commented, but there was no malice in his voice.

''Ha, ha.'' Damon scoffed, then chuckled, after he turned and saw what Elijah was doing.

''Something funny, Damon?'' Elijah raised an eyebrow at him.

''You. With a broom.'' Damon winked at him. ''Never thought I'd see that one.''

Elijah rolled his eyes, but didn't comment. He returned to sweeping the floor, with a smile on his face.

Stefan and Elena watched in amazement the interaction between Damon and Elijah. They seemed close, drawn to each other, even. Stefan was positive his brother will be alright, now when Elijah is here.

Later, when the repair men arrived, Elijah invited them to a dinner in a restaurant that was a little out of the Mystic Falls. They actually had a good time. Once again, Elijah spend the night with Damon, making a passionate love with the young vampire. However, in the morning, he got a call from one of his men. He was frowning when Damon entered the room, wearing only a towel.

''Something wrong?'' Damon asked, seeing the frown.

''The word Klaus is dead is out, and a pack of werewolves, his werewolves, are threatening to revenge him. I have to leave to handle the situation.''

''Oh.'' Damon said.

He knew he was irrational, but he didn't want Elijah to leave. He got used to the idea of them together, even if only two days had passed. But, his fear of being alone was stronger than his reason. Because that threat was real that could put all of them in danger.

''I see. Well, you do what you have to do.'' Damon said, after a moment, then went to his closet to get dressed.

''I will return in a day or so.'' Elijah said, watching him closely, noticing how Damon closed himself once again, even from him.

''I know.'' Damon said, not turning around.

''Damon...'' Elijah sighed.

''I know, okay?'' Damon spoke a little harshly, then left the room in a hurry.

''Damon!'' Elijah yelled, then went after him.

''What is going on?'' Stefan asked in confusion, seeing his brother storming out of the house.

Elijah told him the same thing, and Stefan understood everything. After witnessing his brother's breakdown, and knowing the reason, Stefan was positive he knew what is Damon's biggest fear. Fear of being alone. He got attached to the Original vampire very fast, in a very short time, and now, when Elijah had to go, it brought that fear back to the surface. It was too soon for Damon to heal completely.

''May I be frank with you, Elijah?'' Stefan asked, eying the Original vampire.

''Of course.''

''Will you really return? Return to be with him? Look, he needs you, now more than ever. If you are only playing with him, playing with his heart...I don't care you are stronger and older than me... He is my brother. And, I'm afraid he got attached to you, and in his vulnerable state, playing with his heart is dangerous. It could break him completely. I've noticed you care for him, noticed how you look at him, when he is and isn't looking back. I think he will return those feelings back. Just give him time, but I beg you, don't hurt him.''

Elijah listened to the younger Salvatore, he saw how worried he is for his brother. He obviously loved him, and he decided to be completely honest.

''I will return. To him, and to be with him, as long as he wants me and needs me. I'm not playing any games, especially with his heart. And I do realize how vulnerable he is. So, you don't have to worry I will break his heart. I do care for him, maybe more than I should. I may even love him, but for now it's too soon to know for sure. He doesn't only needs me, he needs you too. He needs his brother too.''

''Thank you, Elijah.'' Stefan said, touched and reassured by his words. ''Can I make a suggestion? If you want, come live with us. This is a big house, you will have your privacy if that's what you need, but I think, you, being here, will help him a lot.''

''I will think about it.'' Elijah said, surprised. He didn't expected that invitation, and he was touched. On their way down, he asked. ''Have you asked Elena that same question?''

''Ask me what?'' Elena asked, coming through the front door.

''I asked Elijah to move in with us.'' Stefan answered. ''I was planning to ask you too. Jeremy is leaving soon to the art school, and you will be in your house alone. So, what do you think, Miss Gilbert?'' He smiled at his girlfriend.

''It would be my pleasure, Mister Salvatore.'' Elena smiled back, then looked at Elijah. ''I think it's a great idea you moving in as well, Elijah.''

They were drinking coffee when Damon returned from his run. He needed to calm down, get a hold of his emotions, and running through the forest always helped him. He was calmed now. Calmed, but distant. All three of them noticed that. Knowing Elijah and Damon needed a private moment, Stefan and Elena excused themselves, leaving two men alone. Elijah watched Damon heating the blood in the microwave, then stood up and walked toward him. Damon raised an eyebrow at him and their eyes locked.

''I will return, Damon. To you. I promise.'' Elijah spoke gently, then kissed him.

''I know.'' Damon smiled.

''You know, Stefan proposed me something.'' Elijah smirked after a moment.

''Oh?''

''When I return, if you want, I will return to this house with my belongings.''

The smile he received was an answer enough. Three days later, that's exactly what he did.

END OF THE FLASHBACK

Stefan watched his brother sitting in the gazebo and his heart was breaking at the site of how broken and lonely his brother looked. Ever since he came back from the dead for the second time, Damon was quiet, and that disturbed him. Sure, he knew his brother needed time to process everything, to deal with the fact he was alive again, that Klaus was dead, Elena a vampire, and Alaric gone, but this was going on for two weeks now. Damon always bounce back pretty quickly when ever something bad happen to him, and Stefan was scared that, what ever was troubling his brother now, was something he was not capable of dealing alone. Stefan knew Damon needed to talk, needed to open up, but he was doing the opposite. He was closing himself, and he feared for his sanity. He was afraid that his brother was slowly slipping away.

Stefan was glad Elijah was there. He moved in the Boarding House a few days after he slept with Damon, and now they all lived together. The fact Elijah was there, seemed to ease part of Damon's pain. At least during the nights. He couldn't bear to hear silent cries anymore. Elijah was like a balm to Damon's broken heart, and Stefan was very grateful Elijah decided to stay.

"Go talk to him." He heard a soft voice and looked back.

Elena was standing behind him, throwing a glance to a lonely figure outside before she hugged him.

"I've tried, Elena. He is refusing to say a word." He sighed.

"Try again. And again. And again. Until he does."

Stefan sighed again and walked through the balcony door that lead toward the garden, and sat beside his brother. They were sitting there, in the silence, when Damon suddenly spoke, surprising Stefan.

"There is something I need to tell you. You know that when you die and came back from the dead, you remember every compulsion that was made on you?"

"Yes." Stefan answered, not quite sure why would Damon spoke of that now and he listened to the tone of his voice.

It was void of any emotion, but he could detect a trace of sadness too. Damon was focused on something in the distance and Stefan could only see his profile.

"When Elijah revived me, I remembered something. The day we died, I woke up before you, but I was still weak, when Katherine came. She compelled me to love her forever and always look for her. I watched her as she tried to wake you up, probably wanting to compel you too, but you were out. Then someone came and she left us lying there. I must have pass out before you woke me up again. Over a century of my life gone for nothing. And the worst part, I've lost you in the process. Instead of hating her, I hated you. I blamed you. And no matter how sorry I am, nothing can change the fact that I've ruined our relationship, our closeness. For days, I've been sitting here, remembering the old times when we were humans, when our mother was still alive. The laughter, the way we played in this garden… everything was simple then. And now, it's all gone. I believed in her lies and let her ruin us. Ruin everything we had."

Stefan had tears in his eyes after Damon was done talking. He remembered those days as well. He remembered how close they were before Katherine came into their lives. He couldn't believe how diabolical she was. Still is. He knew Damon wasn't like this because of what Katherine did to him, no, it was because he thought he lost his brother. And he knew he had to find a way to show him that that wasn't the case.

"You never lost me. No matter what, I'm still your brother and I love you. Sure, you've done horrible things to me, but I'm not the saint either. I've done things to you too. I want us to be brothers again. Let the past be in the past, Damon. Let's start over."

"It's too late, Stefan. I'm tired." Damon said and looked at his brother with tears in his eyes. "I don't deserve your forgiveness after everything.. It's best if I leave. I haven't spoke to Elijah yet, but I hope he would want to travel around the world with me. Just the two of us. Beside, you and Elena need some time alone and I don't want to be in the way. Seeing me here all the time will always remind her that I'm the one who forced her to be a vampire."

"No!" Stefan interrupted him forcefully. "I won't let you leave! I need you! I need my big brother with me!"

"I have nothing to give you, Stefan. I feel so empty…I'm like this garden. Empty and broken."

"No, Damon! You and I both need to heal and work on our relationship. I want us to be like before. Close."

"And how do you propose we do that?" Damon asked tiredly, but Stefan could detect a tiny trace of hope in his voice.

Suddenly, an idea popped into Stefan's mind, and he smiled warmly at his brother. "How about we work on this garden? Let's make it beautiful again! Together! Like when mother was alive. That always worked when we had a fight as kids. Remember?"

"Oh, yeah. I remember. She would force us to plant whatever flower was in the season until we would forget the reason we were fighting about in the first place." Damon answered, giving him the first real smile since his breakdown. "You really think that will work?"

"Look at the size of this garden, Damon. It's enormous. If we don't use our vampire speed, it will take months, if not years, to finish." Stefan smirked, then looked toward the house. "Do you think Elena or Elijah would join us in our project?"

"Elena yes, but I don't think Elijah would, though. I don't think he owns anything but his extra-expensive-tailor-made suits, less alone sweatpants. I can't even imagine him sitting on the ground and digging a hole." Damon replied, knowing that, both Elena and Elijah could hear.

"Let's go inside, big brother." Stefan said and stood up. When Damon did the same, he pulled him into an embrace. "I love you."

"I love you too, baby brother." Damon replied, and for the first time in his whole undead life, hugged his brother back.

/

When she told Stefan to go and talk to Damon, Elena remained standing by the window. She prayed Damon would open up and talk to his brother because she saw how it hurt Stefan seeing him like that. And even if she was still angry at Damon for forcing her to drink his blood, she hated seeing him so broken. However, what he overheard broke her heart. She was certain that if Katherine appeared now in front of her, she would be capable of killing her for what she did to Damon. She was silently crying when she sensed a hand on her shoulder. Looking up, she saw Elijah and his grim expression. So, he heard it too. She allowed him to pull her into his embrace, needing the comfort.

"I don't understand. How could she have been so cruel? They gave their lives for her…" She asked after she calmed down a bit.

"I don't know, Elena." Elijah answered. "But, I'm glad he is finally opening up."

"You won't leave him, right?"

"No. As long as he needs me, I'll be right beside him." He promised.

"I'm glad. He needs someone like you. And..." She started hesitantly. "...don't get me wrong or think I'm stepping over the line, but I have the feeling you need him too. I saw the way you look at him sometimes, you obviously care, or even love him. Give him time, he will return those feelings back. Just be patient."

Elijah was surprised at her words, he didn't think he was that obvious. First, it was Stefan, who told him basically the same thing, and now Elena. Knowing why Elena was hesitant, he gave her a small smile to apace her. After all, they were all a family now, there was no need for her to be scared of him. He voiced his thoughts.

''You are right. I do need him. I have no idea when it started, but I care for him. I think I might even love him. Don't worry, I won't leave him, and you don't have to be cautious around me. I consider you, Damon and Stefan as my family.''

When Stefan and Damon returned to the house, Elena was smiling and Elijah smirking.

''What's wrong with my suits, Damon? They are first quality, expensive and I look good in them.''

''They are suits, Elijah.'' Damon rolled his eyes. ''You need to loosen up, visit the sport section, buy a sweatpants, ordinary t-shirts. I swear, if you could sleep in those suits of yours, you would.''

''I'll make you a deal, Damon. If you stop wearing only black, I will consider your proposition.''

''Damon, wearing colors? As if that will ever happen!'' Stefan smirked and Elena chuckled.

''Black is my color, brother. I look sexy in it.'' Damon scoffed at his brother, then winked at Elijah. ''Don't you agree, Elijah?''

''No comment.'' Elijah answered, looking at the ceiling.

''He agrees, don't you worry.'' Damon smirked at his brother and Elena who started to laugh.

/

Elijah was just entering the Boarding House since he had a meeting in the town with one of the people who worked for him, so he heard Elena nudging Stefan to go and talk to Damon. He was worried for his lover. For two weeks Damon didn't said a word, to either Elena or Stefan, and he wondered what was bothering him that he spend days sitting on the bench in the gazebo. The nights were theirs and no one else's. Elijah used sex to keep Damon on the surface after his breakdown, otherwise he would've completely shut down. In Damon's, now theirs, bedroom, only them existed. They didn't talk about the outside world. They just held on to each other. Elijah knew Damon needed time but he was slowly starting to lose hope. Even though, for Damon, what they had was only sex, Elijah felt connected to the young vampire. Not only because he was now his sire, he felt connected on the emotional level too. He was falling for Damon, falling for him strongly. He felt such rage hearing what Katherine did to him, and his brain desperately wanted to find a way to help him somehow. However, that wasn't his mission. It was Stefan's. The younger Salvatore managed to pull him out of the silence he chose. The brothers needed each other, and knowing that, he wasn't jealous. They were brothers after all. As he said to Elena, he thought that Stefan's garden idea was a foolproof. Working together, they will gain back the trust and love they had lost during the last century and a half. Elijah knew Damon will be alright as soon as he heard his comment about him working in the garden and not owning anything but suits. 'Me, in a sweatpants, digging a hole? As if!' Elena was right when she said Damon needed him as much as he needed Damon. It wasn't until the older Salvatore was dying, had he realized just how much.

/

Later that night, they were lying in Damon's four-posted bed, slowly kissing. For the first time, Elijah felt whole. And he was happy just holding Damon in his arms. He knew this is where he belongs.

"Thank you, Eli." Damon suddenly whispered, lifting his head from Elijah's shoulder and looked him in the eyes.

"For what?" Elijah asked, confused.

"I heard what you said to Elena. No, hear me out." He said, stopping what ever Elijah wanted to say. "I want to be honest with you. It's the least you deserve. I do feel something for you. Is it love, I don't know, but I'm ready to find out. You've been a great support to me during the last couple of weeks and I can't thank you enough. You never asked what troubled me knowing that I needed to deal with it myself and you were right. Being dead again somehow changed me. I'm done with all that bad boy act, I want to, no, I need to feel. I miss him, you know that, but he is gone and I want to be with you. I'm ready to move on. With you. So, thank you for being here. Thank you for putting out with my mood wings, my silence, thank you for everything."

Elijah was speechless for a few moments. True, it wasn't a love declaration, but Damon will get there. he was a patient man, he can wait.

"Always. I will always be here for you." Elijah promised, then smirked at the nickname Damon gave him. "Eli?"

"Well, I could call you Liah, but I like Eli more." Damon grinned.

Elijah's heart fluttered seeing the bright blue crystals of Damon's eyes. There were void of any pain. He missed this Damon. Cocky and charming.

"Are you flirting with me, Dami?" He asked, trying the new nickname on his tongue for his lover.

"I don't know. Am I?" Damon asked seductively. "Dami? Hm, I like it." He added, leaning for a kiss.

'Yes, I definitively belong here.' Was Elijah's last thought before losing himself in a heated kiss.

AN/ That is all for now. Like I've said in the top AN, Ric will probably return in the next chapter. And that won't be easy for any of them. Please, let me know what you think.
I will also post another story. A Delijah one. So, keep an eye!