Wrong Salvatore 26
A/N Just thought I'd remind everyone that Elena has all her memories up until 1x14 (when they find that Katherine isn't in the tomb). So she does remember her road trip to Georgia with Damon.
Elena sat with her head on the bar table at The Grill. She had officially given up on her search for Damon. He was absolutely nowhere to be found. It had been well over an hour since she had stormed out of the Boarding House. She had checked practically every inch of Mystic Falls in order to find Damon but it was all to no avail.
She had checked The Grill first, then Ric's place, then Tyler's place and even Matt's place. She then went to the cemetery in the hopes that he might just randomly be there. After walking around the whole of Mystic Falls she just ended up back in The Grill, hoping that maybe she had just missed him the first time but no, he wasn't here.
She lifted her head and rubbed her face, trying to get over her fatigue, before resting it on the table again. She closed her eyes tightly. Where the hell could he have gone?
"I love it when you're drunk!" A smile curved Damon's lips.
Elena giggled. "I'm not drunk."
"The fact that you're attempting to play pool whilst holding the cue the wrong way round would suggest differently."
"Oops," Elena giggled. She dropped her cue down on the floor, not caring where it landed, and stumbled up to her boyfriend.
"You're beautiful," he said out of the blue.
"Where did that come from?" Her lips immediately curved into a smile as a blush worked its way across her cheeks. That was always her response to a compliment from him.
"I just realised I hadn't said it today but I should tell you it every day because it's true." His voice was so sincere it made her heart flutter.
"Why do you have to say such sweet things when I'm drunk and unlikely to remember them?"
"Aha!" he pointed his fingers at her. "So you admit you're drunk!"
"No I don't!" She argued uselessly.
"Err well you're the one who said you were. I quote 'why do you have to say such nice things when I'm drunk?'" He said it in a high-pitch girly voice just for effect.
"I do not sound like that!" She playfully smacked his arm.
He rolled his eyes. "Believe what you must."
"I want to tell you something now," she said as she wrapped her arms around his neck and leant into him.
Damon's left eyebrow rose warily. "Is that so?"
She rose onto her tiptoes and whispered, a little too loudly, into his ear, "You're the sexiest vampire I know!" She giggled and Damon's insides just became jelly. How was she always so damn cute?
He didn't show her just how much her presence affected him; instead, he rolled his eyes at her silly confession. "Elena, you know like five vampires and let's face it, it isn't hard for me to be sexier than all of them."
Elena pouted. "You're sexier than Edward Cullen."
"Oh dear God," he groaned. "Please don't talk about Twilight. He isn't even real."
"I wish you would go all shiny in the sunlight."
"Do I really have to listen to this? You seriously don't want a glittery boyfriend."
"You're right; you don't need to sparkle to be sexy," she decided as she stroked his cheek lightly with the pad of her thumb.
"Sparkling in the sun does not equate to sexy anyway," he pointed out.
Elena pulled her head back and made an expression that showed she was thinking hard- well as hard as her drunken brain would let her.
"You're sexier than Spike as well."
"We've moved onto fake vampires in television shows now?"
"Why won't you just accept that you're sexy?" Elena said much too loudly, gathering the interest of other people in the bar.
"I'm not arguing that I'm not sexy. I am most definitely very sexy," Damon said wiggling his eyebrows as if to make a point.
"I'm sexy too," she decided, as she stroke a pose.
Damon chuckled. "Yes you are." He captured her lips with his own and gently pushed her backwards so that she was against the pool table. Without breaking lip contact he lifted her up so she was sitting on the table. Her legs immediately lifted and wrapped around his waist, as her hands buried themselves in his jet black hair, tugging him as close as possible.
His right hand brushed up her legs, which were clad in high-waisted skinny jeans; excitement built up in her the higher up his hand went. His left hand had taken up refuge underneath her layered lace tank top and pressed softly against her toned stomach.
Someone's persistent coughing behind them caused them to break apart.
Damon was about to bite off the head of the person who dared to interrupt them but when he saw who it was, his mouth clamped shut.
"Seriously guys, no sex on the pool table," Bree said sternly.
"Talk about ruining all the fun," Damon responded.
"You're mean," Elena said. Clearly her drunken state didn't allow time for her to think before she spoke.
Bree rolled her eyes. "And you young lady are underage and drunk at my pub so I'd zip it if I were you."
Damon sniggered at Elena's expression. She looked like she had just been slapped across the face. What with her parents dead, she probably wasn't used to adults showing their authority; it wasn't like Jenna was big on rules.
Bree couldn't help but laugh at Elena's speechlessness. "I know you guys are still in the honeymoon period of your relationship but I'm pretty sure if any of those girls," she pointed to a bunch of gawking twenty year olds, "have to see Damon making out with you for any longer, they might just come over here to scratch your eyes out." With those words she departed them to go back to her place behind the bar.
Elena's face leant close to Damon's ear as she whispered, "I know I said you were the sexiest vampire I know, but I take it back. You're the sexiest living thing ever. It's a shame those girls over there will never know what it's like to kiss you, because you, sexy vampire, are mine."
Georgia. Altanta. Bree's Bar. That was where he was.
She speedily ran out of The Grill, suddenly revitalised and full of energy. She jumped into her car and quickly fiddled with the navigation system in it. She silently thanked the Lord that Bree's Bar was already listed in her 'favourite places'. She had never been so happy for an impromptu memory.
She pulled her seatbelt across her body and buckled herself in as she pulled out of the Grill's car park. She had a long trip to Georgia to make and she just prayed she'd get there before nightfall.
"What are you doing here?"
"I had to report on an issue here, some kind of animal attacks or something, and I remembered how you recommended this place. I can't believe you're here though!" Andie exclaimed as Damon pulled her in close for a hug.
As they separated, Andie ordered herself a martini and Damon glared at Bree and demanded that she give him back his bourbon. Bree gave him a disappointed look before she gave in and moved onto her other customers.
"So what brings you out here? And without Elena might I add," Andie asked curiously.
Damon sighed. He'd already been through it with Bree and he honestly wasn't in the mood to relive it again. He just wanted to get drunk and forget all about his wife for a little while.
"Elena kissed Stefan," he said mechanically.
"What?" Andie asked, genuinely surprised. So she hadn't been wrong about Elena. That revelation made her feel a lot better about the fact that she wanted Damon for herself. "How did you find out?"
"Stefan told Bonnie about it and I overheard," he answered emotionlessly.
"And how do you feel about that?" she prodded.
Damon's head immediately turned to face her as he snapped, "How do you think I feel about it?"
Andie looked surprised by his aggressiveness but he couldn't bring himself to care one bit.
"Can we just not talk about how I feel? Distract me."
Andie's lips curved upwards. She could definitely distract him.
"So I totally caught this teenage couple having sex in an elevator today and it got me thinking how badly I wanna do it one time. Although, I obviously don't wanna get caught," she said sipping her beverage.
"Getting caught is part of the fun," Damon argued. "Wait, you've never had sex in an elevator?" he asked, thoroughly appalled.
"Nope," she answered honestly.
"You've been deprived."
"You sound like you've had a lot of experience in the elevator."
"Oh yeah," Damon chuckled.
"With Elena?" Andie asked jealously.
A scowl painted his face. "Can we make a pact to not mention Elena again this evening?"
His words made her jealousy disappear into thin air. It was a line she was sure he'd said in one of her dreams. "Sounds good to me."
"So I dumped Nick," Andie announced as she swirled her drink in her hands.
Damon's eyebrows creased. "Why?"
"Sex wasn't good enough."
Damon chuckled. "Sex is never gonna be good enough after you've had me!" he cockily added.
It was now Andie's turn to let a laugh escape. "I'm so blowing your trumpet right now because I'm not even going to argue."
"You clearly want to be blowing something else though."
Andie's eyes widened at his vulgarity. "I can't believe you just said that!"
"I can't believe you're shocked that I would say it. I thought you knew me well. I am the eternal stud; got to keep my flirting on point."
Andie's gaze dug into him. "Is that what you're doing here? Flirting?"
"So to speak." He shrugged. "So, are you looking to date another loser?"
Andie smiled. "Actually, I was thinking of doing things differently this time."
"Really? How so?" His interest was piqued.
"Well actually there's this guy I've liked for a while and I've just never had the balls to ask him out," she said quietly.
"Whoa! Miss Confidence-Embodied is scared of some pathetic man? Call the police!"
"Haha," Andie bit out sarcastically. "I knew I shouldn't have said anything."
"Seriously though, what is stopping you?"
She sighed as she fidgeted with the hem of her A-line skirt. She looked down at the table, unable to meet his gaze. "He's with someone. He's with someone who doesn't deserve him, who doesn't love him the way he ought to be loved; the way I love him." When she heard no reply from Damon she took a quick glance at him to see he was pensive in thought.
He finally looked her. "I didn't know that you'd fallen in love with someone. I've been so wrapped up in my personal drama that I didn't even notice." He took a deep breath. "If you really love him and think you're the one for him then go for it. Tell him. Maybe he feels the same way about you."
Before he knew what was happening Andie's face was inches away from his. Her lips were moving up to meet his. He jerked backwards, almost falling off his chair.
"What the hell are you doing?"
She froze. "N-nothing," Andie stuttered. She shouldn't have listened to him.
"Don't give me that bullshit. You tried to kiss me. Why the hell would you do that?" He tried to keep his exploding feelings inside. Oh God, had Elena been right about Andie?
"You were flirting with me," she said. She prayed to God he wouldn't figure out that she had been talking about him. That would just make everything worse.
"It was innocent flirting Andie. I'm married!" He was truly shocked by what was happening. "I'm not going to cheat on my wife because I'm frustrated with her. I'm not going to get back at her by having sex with you."
"I don't want sex!" She argued. Her eyes widened; she had said too much.
"Well then what is it that you want Andie? Because I'm really lost here."
Her silence was revealing. This was worse than what he had thought. If it had just been meaningless sex like they had had before it would've been one thing but from the looks of things Andie wanted more, a lot more. This was bad. Oh God, realisation dawned. Was he the guy?
"I'm the guy aren't I?" He didn't need for her to answer to know the truth. He gulped; this wasn't happening. "Andie…" He didn't know what to say. She was in love with him? When did that happen? He felt bad for her because nothing would ever happen between them. Elena was it for him. "It's always going to be Elena." He felt bad for using the line that Elena had used on him. The difference was that it was really true this time. "I know you seem to think that Elena doesn't treat me right but that's only as of late. It doesn't make a difference though. I don't care how you feel about me or even Elena for that matter. We're never going to be together. You can say all you want about or to Elena but the truth remains."
Andie's heart shattered. She shouldn't have done anything. It was almost better to have an unrequited love with him, than to be so harshly rejected. But why had he mentioned talking to Elena? That girl had opened her trap hadn't she? "She told you what I said to her, didn't she?"
His eyebrows furrowed. "You spoke to Elena?"
Andie's eyes widened. She realised she had just dug herself further into a hole. "No, it was nothing. I'm talking rubbish. These drinks are starting to get to me." She laughed nervously.
"What did you say to her?" Damon wasn't buying Andie's innocent act.
"Nothing, Damon. Stop worrying. I was thinking about someone else." Her excuses weren't adding up anymore.
Damon had taken enough shit in one day and he wasn't about to take anymore.
He locked his gaze with Andie's. His eyes dilated as he opened his mouth to speak. "Tell me word for word exactly what you said to Elena," he compelled.
Andie's eyes widened in horror. She hadn't ingested vervain in a while. Her mouth started running without her permission. "I told her that she was the cause of all your pain and that her love for you was toxic. I let her know that I was always around the corner to comfort you, when she would inevitably hurt you again. I said that I wished it had taken her longer to wake up from the coma."
"Son of a bitch!" Damon cursed.
He looked away from her. He couldn't stand to look at her for another second. This was the woman he had defended time and time again saying that she was a friend? He was seething. Anger was coursing through his veins. How quickly things had turned; one minute he had felt sorry for her and now all he wanted to do was throttle her. Going after Elena… bad move.
"What the hell were you thinking?" he shouted at her, finally turning to look at her again.
"I wasn't. I-"
"Damn right, you weren't!"
"I'm sorry! I just cracked! I've been waiting for over three years for you to notice that I'm here for you."
"I thought you were here for me as a friend. I didn't think you were here to poison Elena's mind."
Andie's mood suddenly changed. She was done apologising. "Was I wrong though Damon? Because it looks to me like Elena hurt you again and I'm the one who's here comforting you like I predicted."
Damon scowled. "I tell you about my relationship with Elena in confidence, not so you can pass judgement and use it against me."
"I know. But it's hard for me to listen about her hurting you when I love you!"
He froze. He had known from her words about her feelings but to hear her say them as clear as day was a whole other thing. It didn't sound right to hear those three special words come out of anyone else's mouth. They were Elena's words for him.
"That doesn't mean you have the right to go after Elena. She's been through a lot as it is!"
"How can you keep defending her?" Andie asked. Her eyes were digging into him; she couldn't understand him.
"Because I love her. I will always love her." He saw Andie recoil at his words. He was harsh to spell it out so clearly, but it had to be done. "I want you to listen carefully to me Andie. You're going to leave town for a while and you're going to stay the hell away from me and Elena, until you realise how incomprehensibly badly you've been behaving lately. Once you're done acting like a fool, maybe I'll be willing to give you another chance. Until then, I don't want to see you or hear you or anything. Understand?"
"Are you compelling me?" she asked, tears welling up in her eyes.
"No. I'm strongly advising you." His eyes were flashing and she understood that he wasn't 'advising her', he was telling her.
She nodded her head slowly in defeat and took her cue to leave, but not without one last glance at him. How could she have made the mistake of falling in love with him? She knew she never stood a chance against Elena and yet she had still hoped.
After Andie had left Bree had come back to convince him to leave but he just barked at her as he made a show of continuing to drink. She backed off; she realised now was not that time to annoy him.
He smashed his glass of bourbon down against the bar table; he was over being upset. He was downright pissed now. Why did everyone have to let him down and all at the same time? He needed to find release and he needed to get it quickly. He couldn't keep it under control anymore. These emotions were too much. How was this day still not over?
His eyes scanned the bar to find a suitable girl. His eyes zeroed in on a red-head. She'd do. It had been too long since he had last done this to anyone other than Elena. He needed to bite this girl. In fact, he needed to kill her; he was itching to snap her neck. It was the only way to deal.
He hadn't even taken two steps before his pathway was intercepted. Elena was standing right in front of him, all straight brown hair and doe eyes. He hadn't been expecting to see her just yet and he was taken aback. He wasn't ready to deal with her.
All of sudden his thirst for blood and death disappeared. But it was always like that with Elena. Whenever she was around everything else just seemed to come to a standstill. His focus was solely on her. No matter what he did, it never changed. She consumed him.
"Damon." That was all she said. That was all she needed to say to get him to listen.
"Elena," he responded, mirroring her tone.
She had to know that he knew, right? But she wasn't apologising profusely for what she had done. How had she found him anyway? He knew she remembered them coming to the bar together to the first time but he really hadn't thought that she'd think he'd be here.
"I'm sorry for not listening to you about Andie. You were right. She's one hell of a conniving woman. She really had me fooled. I just, I can't believe what she said to you," he apologised.
Elena smiled sadly. "It's okay. At least you know now."
Damon frowned. He wasn't happy with her immediate forgiveness and short reply. Didn't she want to yell at him or rub it in his face? Then again, maybe she was filled with guilt over what she had done.
"I wish you had told me what she had said though. Just like I wish you had told me about kissing Stefan." There he had said it. It was out in the open. There would be no beating around the bush. He needed answers; even if they weren't the ones he wanted.
"I'm sorry."
Her words felt like a stake to the heart. There was no denying it anymore; it was true. Was that seriously all she had to say though? She was sorry? Big whoop. That meant nothing to him - at least not right now; not whilst his heart was shattering into millions of tiny shards and being thrown around like confetti.
Although it was just one kiss, it felt like the practically perfect life he had been living with Elena pre-amnesia was really gone. It was like the last nail in the coffin for what they once had; what he had hoped they would once again have.
"Is that really all you have to say about it?" He couldn't disguise the hurt in his voice. Around Elena, his emotions just always poured out.
"It was a mistake Damon. Things just got really out of hand. One minute we were talking and then we were kissing. I swear it was a mistake Damon and it won't ever happen again," she said sincerely.
"How am I supposed to believe you Elena? That one mistake, as you say it was, has broken all the trust between us. I know you remember the day I told you not to make me regret trusting you, well congratulations Elena, you've succeeded at making me regret exactly that." His anger was rising and he couldn't control it. It felt like everything in their marriage was ruined. How were they supposed to work things out when she had kissed his brother?
"I'm sorry Damon."
"You keep saying that but I don't know what to do with it!" he snapped, at the end of his tether. He noticed the way her eyes widened and he immediately tried to calm himself down. "Elena, I think I need some space. I need to be alone. I need to get my head clear and I can't do any of this with you around."
"Don't say that Damon," she begged. "Just please forgive me, and then we can move past all of this. Things will be good again."
"That's just the problem though, isn't it Elena? I don't know if I'm going to be able to forgive you."
He couldn't believe he had said it. It was final. There was a possibility that he and Elena wouldn't make it. Had someone told him not even two months ago that he and Elena could be on the verge of separating he would have laughed long and hard, but here they were.
"Don't say that Damon. I love you!"
He froze.
"What?" Had she really just said that? Why was everyone choosing today to confess their love?
Her eyes flashed, like she had found the key to a locked treasure chest. "I love you."
With those three words, she pounced on him. Her lips attached to his in a hard, rushed kiss. He wasn't responding. His mind was worlds away. There was no way he could process the information she had just revealed, let alone lose himself in her kiss.
Elena parked her car just outside the bar. She didn't know what she'd do if she found out that she'd driven all this way for no point. Damon had to be at the bar. He just had to be.
During the long ride over she had gone over everything she wanted to tell Damon. She had made the perfect speech in her head and she prayed to God that she wouldn't forget it when she laid eyes on him.
She jumped out of her car and briskly walked towards the bar. From the outside, it looked just like it had four years ago. A fleeting thought of whether inside would also look the same passed through her mind but she dismissed it; she needed to focus on making things right again between her and Damon.
She pushed open the entrance door and quickly scanned the bar. Her eyes immediately found Bree, who was chatting to some lads - maybe even flirting with them. Her eyes continued to dart around the room, praying that Damon was indeed here.
She found him and she froze. In a split second she was feeling so many different emotions, all at the same time - none of which were good ones. She wanted to tear her eyes away but found that it was impossible. Damon was standing right in the middle of the room, kissing her doppelganger, her ancestor, Katherine.
It seemed he didn't really need her after all. He could have Katherine again and she would be expendable. Her supposed betrayal had driven him back into Katherine's arms. This was more than just a stupid mistake, he had done it knowingly.
Not wanting to cause a scene or draw his attention she exited the same way she had come in. Her legs were shaking, but she forced herself to walk back to her car. Once she was inside the safety of her vehicle, the floodgates opened, and out poured the endless tears.
A/N You were all worried about Andie, but it turns out Katherine is even more conniving! In case you got confused, Katherine was pretending to be Elena in Bree's Bar. Just a little reminder that in chapter 19 we found out that Damon never informed Elena of what Katherine had been up to after they discovered that she was in the tomb. Oh and the 1x22 kiss between Damon & Katherine never happened.
I know a lot of you wanted Andie to get hit by a bus but the way I see it, surely being cut out of Damon's life is worse? A little convenient, that Elena had that memory but I figured the girl needed some help. She was doing an awful job at finding him.
Twitter: CosmicButton
Polyvore: www.cosmicbutton.polyvore.com Elena's outfit in the memory is here.