They were back on the road. At first, they sat in comfortable silence, and when Damon turned on the radio Elena smiled.
"I assumed you'd be into rock. I mean, it suits you."
Damon smirked.
"You can't imagine what it was like back then. For you, it's just music from another time, before you were born. But I saw where this music came from, how it changed people's lives. It was… amazing."
Elena smiled again.
"My dad loved rock, too. He could spend hours listening to Deep Purple, Queen, Pink Floyd, and be perfectly content."
Damon looked at her, and saw her smiling at the memory. He had thought this 'memory lane trip' would upset her, but he saw that it had the opposite effect – it made her remember what it felt to be happy. It was good to see her like that – smiling, letting go of her worries. That was the moment when Damon promised himself he'd make sure she had fun on this trip, no matter what.
"And what kind of music you are into? Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift?"
"Oh, for heaven's sake, no! I like rock, but not the hard stuff like AC/DC. I like bands like Queen and Foreigner, as well as some newer stuff, like The Fray, Lifehouse, Massive Attack, Muse, Nickelback."
"Why, Elena Gilbert, you never cease to surprise me."
They both smiled at that as Damon pulled the car over. They had reached Bree's. Just as they stepped through the door, Elena put her hand on Damon's shoulder, leaning up to him.
"Be careful, please."
Damon managed to smirk through his look of surprise.
"Enough brooding, kitten. Let the fun begin."
They entered the bar, and the second Bree saw Damon, they were all over each other, lips locked. Elena felt a sudden wave of burning jealousy consume her. She had known this would happen. She had seen it before. The first time, it had felt… uncomfortable to watch them. Now, it didn't just feel uncomfortable, it felt… wrong and painful. Elena wanted nothing more than to tear them apart from each other and kiss Damon instead, with everything she had in her, everything she felt for him. But she couldn't do that.
After Bree's greeting, Damon and Elena sat on the bar, while Bree went behind the counter and took out a bottle of tequila.
"Listen up, everybody! Here's to the man that broke my heart, crushed my soul, destroyed my life and ruined any and all chances of happiness."
With those words, she placed one shot in front of Elena, and one in front of Damon. Just like before. But this time, Elena drank her shot, instead of giving it to Damon. After everything that's been going on, she needed it. She saw Damon's smirk as she fired down her shot.
"Now that's more like it, Elena."
Before Elena had the chance to retort, Bree asked:
"So, how did he rope you in?"
"Oh, um, we aren't… I mean…"
"Honey, if you are not roped, you're whipped. Either way, just enjoy the ride."
Elena could practically feel Damon's smug grin as he heard Bree's words.
"You know, when I met him, about 20 years ago, I was a freshman in college, and the moment I saw him, I fell in love. And when I learned his secret, it made me love him even more because I had a secret of my own that I was dying to share."
"She's a witch."
Damon whispered in Elena's ear. She remembered she had been pretty shocked the first time, and wondered what Damon needed from a witch. Now she knew he wanted to find a way to open the tomb for Katherine. If only he knew the truth…
"I forgot my phone in the car. I'll just go get it, and let you ladies bond."
With that, he stood up and left. Both women gazed at his back as he departed. Bree sighed before speaking again.
"He really changed my world, you know. Damon is the only man I've ever loved. But loving this man is the second hardest thing in the world. Eventually, he just leaves you behind to pick up the pieces of your shattered heart. And all because of Katherine…"
Elena looked at the woman in front of her, and saw that she meant every word. She had loved him, and he had shattered her. Because for Damon, it had always been and would always be only Katherine… That thought burned her heart and made it hurt in the worst possible way.
'Pull yourself together' she thought. Suddenly, she caught on something else Bree had said.
"You said loving him was the second hardest thing. What was the first?" Bree smiled.
"Not falling in love with him. Truly impossible, I might say. But you already know that, don't you?."
Before Elena could respond, Damon reappeared.
"So, what are you two talking about? Me, I hope."
After the awkward conversation with Bree, Elena decided to just try to forget everything, and enjoy the fact that she was far away from the mess in Mystic Falls, with Damon. Because being with him, no matter when, where, or how, was what mattered more than anything.
Damon ordered food, and while they waited he finally got the chance to dig into the reason behind Elena's accident.
"So, are you gonna tell me what my saint of a brother did?"
Elena looked at him and smiled.
"You are enjoying this, aren't you? Seeing problems between me and Stefan?"
Damon smirked.
"Of course! I knew Stefan would screw up eventually. So, start talking."
Elena sighed.
"Well, I found Katherine's picture in his room."
"Ouch! Stupid move, especially when I have a pretty good idea of why you were in his room."
That made Elena blush. Damon mentioning her sex life with Stefan – so not ok! It was the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to her. So she decided to change the direction of the conversation.
"The reason I got mad was that he hid it from me. I mean, if he didn't come to me because he saw me as Katherine, why would he hide it and lie about it?"
Damon looked into Elena's eyes, and for the first time since they started their trip, he actually looked serious.
"He didn't say anything because that's who he is, Elena. He thinks that by hiding and lying, he's doing the best for you, protecting you. He thinks you're fragile and you'll break, and that makes him an idiot. As for your resemblance to Katherine, yes, I am pretty sure you reminded him of her when he first saw you. But after just a minute of watching you, or talking to you, I'm sure he knew you are nothing like Katherine. Trust me, you two couldn't be more different."
Elena looked straight into his eyes, and found herself drowning in them. But she brought herself to ask the question that has been going through her mind for a while.
"What about you? Who am I to you, Damon?"
"You're not Katherine. As I said, polar opposites. You are Elena Gilbert – a stubborn judgy teenage girl who seems to attract trouble. But you have fire - that's what I like about you."
It was at that moment Bree came back with their food order and Damon's beer. Elena immediately removed the pickles from her burger, and as she expected, he looked at her as if she was crazy.
"How can you not like pickles?"
"Well, I find them gross. How can you like them? So, apart from pickles, expensive scotch and blood from sorority girls, what does Damon Salvatore enjoy?"
"Sex" he said pointedly.
"And?"
"That's it."
"Damon…"
He rolled his eyes, took a sip of his beer, and spoke again.
"Well, I love the Summer. Hot weather, long days, girls in bikinis… I'd love to see you in one of those by the way."
Elena shot him a judgy look, but managed a grin.
"I love reading my favorite books again and again, like "Call of the wild". I love driving sports cars ridiculously fast. I love listening to the rain while sipping my scotch in front of the fireplace. And so far, I enjoy your company, miss Gilbert."
They smiled at each other, and Elena couldn't help but feel happy. Those simple things, that was what made her happy.
"You're not the worst company in the world, Damon."
Damon and Elena spent hours playing pool, drinking, and just kicking back having fun. She enjoyed his annoyed look every time she beat him at pool and his lame attempts to cover it up with 'Only because I let you win'. They laughed, joked and were both relaxed, just being themselves. After the God knows which shot, Damon looked at Elena amused and quite surprised.
"Woman, you sure can drink."
"Oh, you should have seen me a year ago. There wasn't a single party I missed. I laughed, I drank, I flirted. Ask Bonnie, Caroline or Matt if you don't believe me. I was much more fun then."
"Well, tonight you're doing just fine. Cheers to that!"
After a few more rounds, Elena went to the lady's room. Just before she went through the door, someone grabbed her from behind and dragged her out of the bar. With everything else that had happened, she had completely forgotten about Lexi's boyfriend. A wave of panic came over Elena. 'What if it happens tonight? What if I loose him again after such a short time?' was the only thing she could think about.
Before she knew it, Elena was on the stairs, and Damon was coming after her.
'Damon, NO! Run!"
But he didn't. He looked worriedly at her, and that was when Lee hit him with the bat. Elena ran as fast as she could. This time, when Lee turned to face her, she didn't stop. She ran until she was between him and Damon.
'Don't hurt him, please!'
'Are you insane? Get out of here, Elena!' Damon said, and Elena barely turned to him, and whispered:
"I won't leave you."
'You better listen to your boyfriend and leave!' Lee groaned at her.
"No! Listen, I know what he did was horrible, and that Lexi didn't deserve to die, but I'm begging you not to hurt him!"
Lee, as well as Damon for that matter, looked a little surprised that Elena knew so much, but she didn't care. What mattered was saving Damon.
"He killed her! Lexi just went to see Stefan. She hadn't done anything to him, and he killed her. He deserves to die!"
"You're right, she didn't deserve to die. She was good, and she loved you, which means you are good too. So please, don't do this! She wouldn't want you to…"
The vampire stared at her for a while, then pushed her aside, grabbed Damon and threw him into the adjacent building, and disappeared. Elena ran to Damon, her whole body shaking.
"Are you ok? How can I help?"
Damon tried to stand, but his leg was still healing, so he remained sitting on the ground.
"I'm gonna be fine, I'll just need a few minutes for my leg to heal."
He looked at her tear-streaked face, and noticed she was shaking. That reaction completely floored him. Sure, he knew that Elena didn't want him dead, but she looked like… Like she couldn't bare the thought of loosing him. Why? – that he couldn't understand.
"Calm down. Vampire, remember? Now, tell me, are you suicidal or what? What you just did was incredibly stupid."
"I couldn't let him kill you."
Their eyes locked and she felt it again. This bond, this understanding, the need. In that moment more than ever, she knew she'd do anything for him. She pulled up her sleeve, and gave him her wrist.
"Drink."
Damon looked at her incredulously.
"What?"
"You need blood. Take mine."
He felt hunger, and it was true that if drank blood right then and there, he'd heal faster. But…
"Thanks, but no. I'm ok. Now, help me get up and let's go."
"But, Damon…"
"No buts. Now, will you help me up?"
Elena sighed and got up, offering her hand. Once standing, they were mere inches apart. Elena's eyes traveled from his eyes to his lips and she wanted nothing more than to kiss him. But it was not the right time and place.
"You sure you're ok?"
"Yeah. I'll go talk to Bree then we're heading back to Mystic Falls."
With everything Elena had learned in the past months, she was pretty sure what Damon meant by 'talking' to Bree. And she couldn't let it happen.
"No. I know you don't want to talk to her. You want to punish her for sending him after you – you're going to kill her. And I can't let you."
"And how do you plan to stop me?"
"I'm asking you not to."
"She set me up, Elena!"
"For me, Damon. Please, don't kill her. For me."
He looked at her intensely, mulling it over. He watched her pleading face, and he knew - he could deny Elena nothing.
"At least let me talk to her. I have some things to ask her."
"About freeing Katherine from the tomb?" she asked, trying not to show the emotion she felt about that damn tomb and Katherine. He smirked at her.
"You really are smarter than I gave you credit for. Yes, that's what I originally came for. Getting you drunk was just a bonus."
She rolled her eyes. Damon was still Damon. And truth was, she loved that.
"You don't need her for that. I know what you need."
His face suddenly became serious.
"What do you know?"
"You'll need Emily's spell book. The spell must be in there."
Damon studied her curiously.
"How would you know that?"
Elena had to think fast, she couldn't risk losing his trust.
"My best friend's a witch. I spend most of my time with vampires. I think I have an idea how things work by now."
Damon was still studying her, his eyes slightly narrowed. Elena was trying to convey with her gaze that he could trust her, that she wouldn't betray him. She only hoped he could still read her as well as before.
"Get in the car before I change my mind."
They spent most of the drive back to Mystic Falls in comfortable silence. Elena cherished the time with him, even if it was just sitting in the car with him. But she knew they had to talk. And she would have to be the one to start the conversation.
"Thank you for bringing me with you."
"Well, you were there on the road, all damsel-in-distress like. And I knew it would piss off Stefan. And… you're not the worst company in the world, Elena. Give yourself more credit."
He spoke the same words he had the previous time and she smiled at the memory.
"Well, thank you."
"Just don't make it a habit to get into situations where you need saving. And besides, you saved my life. So, thanks."
"You're welcome."
After giving her a quick smirk, Damon focused on the road and Elena took a deep breath. She needed it for the next part of the conversation.
"So, about the tomb… Are you sure you want to open it?"
Damon visibly tensed, then slowly nodded. "It's the only thing I've been sure of for the past 145 years."
"Are you sure she's worth it, Damon? It's going to be dangerous. Is Katherine worth it?"
"To me she is."
Elena tried to reign in her disappointment. He truly loved Katherine and he'd have to go through the realization that she was not in the tomb; that she had been out there, alive and well all this time and never bothered to look for him. She wanted nothing more than to spare him the heartbreak. But she knew there was no way to do that.
"Then I'll help you."
Damon looked at her, curiously.
"And what will Stefan have to say about this?"
"This is not about Stefan. You are my friend, Damon, and I will help you. If you'll let me."
This was an odd turn of events - he hadn't expected any of this. He hadn't expected Elena to care, or to be willing to help him. Elena Gilbert never ceased to amaze him.
Back at the Boarding House, Elena walked into Stefan's room. She had asked Damon to give them some time alone. She didn't tell him why, but was relieved when he'd agreed. Stefan rushed over to her as soon as he saw her standing in the threshold.
"Elena, are you ok? I was so worried…"
"I'm fine, Stefan. But we need to talk."
She could see the pain, the guilt in his eyes, along with the genuine love he felt for her. This was not going to be easy.
"I know you didn't hide the truth from me to hurt me Stefan, but you still did. I know you thought you were doing what you thought was best, because you care about me."
"I don't just care about you, Elena. I love you."
God, it was harder than she imagined. Even though Stefan didn't know it, they had been through so much together, they had been so happy and she still loved him, just not in the same way. Yes, there was a small part of her that still felt the same way about him. After all, she couldn't just stop loving him in a day or a few weeks, but this part of her was getting smaller and smaller, while her love for Damon was growing and getting stronger. That's why this had to end.
"I know you do, Stefan. And I'm not mad or hurt about Katherine anymore. But things have changed, and I can't be with you anymore. I'm so sorry."
She could almost hear his heart breaking, but she had to go with her feelings - it was best for all of them.
"Elena, please… I'm sorry."
"I am too, Stefan. You mean the world to me, you do. This is harder for me than you know. But there are things I can't explain now. Maybe someday I will be able to tell you, but now I can't."
"Is this about Damon? What did he do?"
"He didn't do anything but protect me, Stefan. He saved my life on the road, and then he put himself at risk to protect me. He didn't do anything wrong, so please, don't blame or confront him. You just have to understand that we can't be together."
"Elena…"
She pulled him into a hug then, and let a few tears fall.
"We met, and we talked, and we fell in love, and it was epic. But reality set in and it just has to end."
She pulled away and Stefan nodded sadly, letting her know that he respected her decision. He kissed her on the forehead and then she left.
This was their closure.
AN: I'm so sorry for the months of wait! It's just that life has been crazy - I'm incredibly busy with university (I'm studying medicine), my grams was seriously ill and she was in a hospital for almost 2 months, not breathing on her own... Then I had some health problems myself, so I hope you'd understand! I can't promise when the next update will be, but I promise you I'll do my best to post it soon!
x0x0