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“Hey, Bree, it’s Lexi. I need to ask for a huge favour?”
Damon freezes, beer dripping from his chin where he missed. Even on the other end of the line, her voice is grating. And of course Stefan called her.
Bree, presses the phone to her ear with her shoulder, making her hands free to finish serving. “Sure, what’s up?”
Elena, unable to hear both sides and ignoring Bree, snorts and points before throwing him a napkin. It’s her third beer since officially agreeing to the time out and something in her has started to loosen. Not likely to last now.
“I need to find Damon. If I bring something of his, will you locate him for me?”
Bree’s eyes snap up, a teasing smile threatening to break free. “Sure, I can. Or I can just tell you now.”
Lexi swears; it’s muffled, as though she’s moved away from the phone to do it, so he can’t make out the words, but he imagines they’re colourful. “He’s there? Right now?”
“Yep.”
Elena turns now, too, eyes darting between Damon and Bree. “What’s going on?” she asks.
“Is he with a girl? About five-seven, brown hair and eyes, very pretty? Name’s Elena.”
Bree looks her up and down, as intrigued and confused as the girl in question. Damon goes back to his beer; there’s no point trying to stop it. It wouldn’t change his plans anyway. They’ve already hit a dead end, now it’s time to get drunk so the day’s not completely wasted.
“Yep,” Bree repeats. “Would you like to speak to one of them?”
It’s easy to picture the sour look on Lexi’s face; the sucked in cheeks, the puckered lips, the narrowed eyes. The face she pulls when she deals with something obnoxious, unpleasant, annoying. She directed it at Damon even before she hated him.
“Her please.”
Bree holds out the phone. Waves it in her face when Elena doesn’t immediately take it. Elena presses it to her ear slowly, like it might bite. Damon holds in a scoff at the thought and finishes his beer. “Hello?”
“Elena, what the hell are you doing?”
Elena deflates, relaxing into her words despite the tone. “Hey, Lexi. What’s up?”
“Don’t ’what’s up’ me. What were you thinking, going off with Damon?”
“Well, technically, I was unconscious for most of it,” Elena says, giggling as she finishes her drink.
“You were what?”
“Well - ”
“Okay. Put him on the phone.”
Damon shakes his head in rapid succession before Elena’s had time to move. He doesn’t care to know what kind of face he’s pulling; whatever it looks like, it continues to make her laugh. “He says no.”
“Fine. I’ll see you soon and if he doesn’t tell me, I’ll just kill him.”
The line goes dead, but Elena doesn’t seem to notice, still laughing at Damon. It’s easy to grab the phone off her, already loose in her hand from her half-drunk inability to stay straight between giggles, and throw it Bree’s way. She catches it easy and puts it back with barely a look, her other hand on her hip and her eyes crinkled around the edges while she waits. Damon pokes Elena in the shoulder, contemplates taking the beer away, then doesn’t.
Elena takes a sip, cupping her cheek in her hand. “Apparently Lexi is on her way to kill Damon.”
“Why? What’ve you done this time?”
“Kidnapped me,” Elena answers for him. “But it’s cool, I’m over it.”
The thud when Damon’s head hits the bar reverberates through his skin. It’s not that he’s ashamed of anyone knowing or that he’s worried what Bree would think of him; no way would Elena have got back in the car if she’d truly been afraid or hadn’t really wanted time away from his brother and everything imploding in her life. It’s the other one; the annoying blonde with the perky attitude and vicious right hook. He shoulda made her stay dead. She’s already getting in the way again.
Though it’s his own fault for choosing a witch he’d heard was good while eavesdropping on a phone conversation between her and his brother. And Bree was good then. She’s potentially good now. Twenty years of karma coming back to bite him on the arse, that’s what this is.
A warm hand starts in his hair, long fingernails dragging along as said hand moves down his face, cups his cheek, and pulls his face up. “Still as cute and crazy as ever,” Bree murmurs, blowing him a kiss before turning to Elena. “He kidnapped me once. It was a great month.”
Elena hums, sips the last of her beer and accepts a new bottle with a smile. “Let’s stick with just the day for now.”
Damon taps his nose. “See? For now. Whiskey please.”
Bree gestures to the shelf of what looks like very mid whiskey. “If you want to be really drunk when Lexi kills you, I recommend one of the bottles on the right.”
Damon sighs. “You know, if you really knew me…” He lets his words trail off, his voice drop to a whisper until it fades completely. It doesn’t take long for Bree to roll her eyes, duck down, and come back a moment later with a better bottle. She makes a ‘come here’ type gesture with her hand first, only handing it over once Damon’s coughed up the money. “Two glasses please.”
She puts down two tumblers, scoffs at Damon’s expectant face, and adds two shot glasses while Damon pours. He slides one of each Elena’s way. If it’s his turn to die tonight, he’ll go with a bang and see how willingly Elena joins him.
He’s got nothing left to lose.
***
Elena’s glass is down in a flash. “That’s three,” she says after a delicious victory dance, turning into the bar to find Damon wiping his chin. Again. “Aww, do you need a bib?”
“Sorry I can’t unhinge my jaw like a snake to consume alcohol,” he deadpans. There’s a small part of her, way deep down with her guilt and her responsibility, that wonders if he’s letting her win. She’s seen vampires up close now; they’re faster than this. Or maybe he’s just working a little harder to stick to a human speed so it’s fairer and human Damon was naturally slowed down by clumsiness.
Yeah, she likes that idea better.
“Whatever.” She taps her hands on the bar. “Another round, Bree?”
The nice, drunk regular, her name lost several drinks ago, leans in close. “Honey, you should be on the floor.”
“I’m not even drunk, my tolerance is, like, way up here.” She jumps to prove her point that it’s so high and so good, catching Damon’s eyes follow. Watches his eyes move from her to the shadow that pops up between them and his mouth lose the oh so human looking smile she’d never seen before today, replaced with a scowl.
Elena follows his gaze to the blonde staring them down, eyes narrowed and mouth a hard line. Her all black outfit might match her fury, except the oversized sweater, loose jeans, and sneakers speak more to comfort. Someone dressed in a hurry to get here. She catches the window in her periphery, the outside so dark she can’t even make out Damon’s car. But it’s the middle of November, giving no real indication of the time.
Elena grins, her arms open. “Hi, Lexi!”
“Elena. You,” she adds, Damon an afterthought for now. “Come on, we’re taking you home.”
“No,” Elena says, at the very same time Damon says, “We?”
His head spins. Looking for Stefan, maybe? But it’s not Stefan who presses himself into the bar on Damon’s other side, helping Lexi box him in. This stranger is taller, leaner possibly, it’s hard to tell, and angrier. His eyes look black in the dim light and they bore into Damon.
“This is my boyfriend, Lee,” Lexi says with a smile that does not look right on her face, too mean. And she’s right to be, but Elena finds herself wishing the Lexi she talked to in the Grill was with them now, carefree and happy, telling her about her true love.
Who must be… “This is the guy you were telling me about?” Elena leans in. “You said he was human,” she whispers, then glances around. Only Bree seems to have heard, having successfully distracted people without their noticing.
“I was,” Lee replies. His mouth barely moves and the hard angles of his jaw makes everything seem harsher. Or maybe it’s the obvious way he wants to kill Damon. Lexi must have told him what happened.
Damon stiffens, sensing it, too. “So when did you two lovebirds meet?”
“1987. The Bon Jovi concert in Chicago.” Lexi holds out a hand. “Come on, Elena. Time to go.”
“Or,” Elena slides over a shot glass, “you can join us in our game. I’m currently winning, 3-0.”
“We need to talk.”
Bree gestures to her left with her head. “You can use that.”
Lexi seems to understand the meaning, because she grabs Elena’s hand and pulls her forward, ignoring Damon’s light protests. They come to a door in the corner, far from the bar and its onlookers. Lexi opens it and pushes her in before following, slamming the door shut behind her. The dark is all consuming for a moment, then Lexi finds the switch and their faces are hit with a dim yellow light. It doesn’t go far, but it’s enough to reveal to Elena they’re in a supply closet. One shelf is filled with cleaning supplies, on another she makes out coasters and ash trays and other bits and bobs.
“I don’t think this will keep him from listening,” Elena admits.
“It’s not supposed to, it’s for the humans. What are you doing, Elena?”
“I’m having fun. Join us.”
“No, not with him, Elena. Fun with Damon never ends well.”
“Did he tell you why I ended up here? Stefan? Did he tell you what happened last night?”
It stops Lexi from whatever her next argument was going to be and cracks form in the hard exterior she’s been projecting. “Yes,” she finally says. “But that’s not - ”
“And did you know? About her and me?”
Lexi sighs and the hard exterior melts away, allowing her to smile. It’s sad, but still. “I found out on his birthday, after I saw you at the house. He wanted to tell you himself.”
“Oh, yeah. When?”
“That’s something to talk to him about. Which you can do when we get there.”
“If I wanted to talk to him, I’d have stayed last night and not hung up on him this afternoon. I’m guessing that’s when he called you.”
“That would be when,” she admits. “He’s just worried. His brother is dangerous. You know that.”
“I do, but then he saved me from an unknown vampire who totalled my car while I was in it, so I decided he gets a day.”
“Sorry, what?” Lexi asks, before he brain catches up and her eyes widen. “Tell me everything.”
“Well, that was pretty much it.” Elena laughs, even though she can’t quite recall what’s funny. “Anyway. Drink?”
But Lexi’s already standing in front of the door, and even half drunk Elena knows better than to try to get past right now. So she waits - for Lexi to get it out or get out the way, or for Damon to give up and come get her. Not for Elena, not really, to annoy Lexi. But it’s fine, she’ll take what she can get.
“Damon knew, too, you know.”
“I know. I’m not dating him. Or you, if you think I’m mad at you. I’m not. But I told him I loved him. I had sex with him. So now that I’m here, I’m gonna drink with the brother who’s at least honest about who he is and pretend my life isn’t a big joke.”
Lexi takes Elena’s hand in both her own. “Your life is not a joke. This is a big thing, I wouldn’t know what to do or how to explain it. Neither does he. So what d’you say to Lee and I driving you home and away from whatever mess Damon’s trying to create with Bree, so you and Stefan can talk?”
“How do you know Bree?”
“She was my friend first, Damon was listening in on me and Stefan,” she says.
“And she didn’t tell you what mess he’s trying to create?”
“I try not to get involved. So we going?”
Elena rubs at her eye with a sigh. “Fine, but only because I’m starting to see two of you. And I’m going straight home, I’ll consider talking to him tomorrow. And you’re getting out before we get into Mystic Falls, because the Council thinks you’re dead and I don’t want anyone to see you.”
“How about we drive to the boarding house first, I’ll get out and scold Stefan while Lee drives you home? I won’t leave the house until Lee picks me up and gets us out.”
“Deal. But I think I need water first.” Elena’s phone rings loudly, vibrating against her leg. It takes some time to get it out, her fingers shaking a little. “Crap, it’s Jenna.”
Lexi opens the door, leading the way. “You answer that, I’ll get the water, then we’ll go.”
Jenna doesn’t let her speak, asking where she is and why she lied. Elena wants to reassure her. She settles for listening with the occasional stammers; it’s for the best, there’s less of a chance of Jenna knowing she’s drunk, too.
They don’t get far, Elena knocking into Lexi’s elbow. “Where are they?” Lexi asks, which should make sense. Then Bree points at the window, which makes less sense. Lexi takes off and it’s the extra quiet around her that switches her brain off Jenna and instead to the space Damon had spent all day drinking.
And Lexi ran…
“Oh no.”
“Elena, answer me,” Jenna snaps.
“Sorry, Jenna, I’ll call you back.”
She runs, too, hanging up while Jenna’s mid sentence. Vaguely aware of her surroundings, she follows a deep-throated cry to the back of the bar. She spots Damon first, one hand pressed against his face. The other’s outstretched, keeping Lee at bay while Lexi watches a few yards away.
“What the hell happened?” Elena shouts. She thinks Lexi tries to stop her from passing, but the grip is like cotton candy between her fingers, slipping and fading to nothing.
Instead Lexi follows. “I found them like this, I swear.”
“Just teaching Damon here a lesson about what I’ll do to him if he tries to hurt you again,” Lee admits, inching closer the second Damon moves his hand away from his face. “He’d wish he was dead.”
“You’ve made your point, love. And don’t worry, he won’t get the drop on me again and next time I’ll kill him,” Lexi assures. It seems enough for Lee to turn back.
Until Damon scoffs, wiping away some of the blood on his face and flicking it onto the ground, freeing up space. Lee takes the opportunity to punch Damon once more, then pushes him with enough strength to send him flying into the wall. Lee almost smirks, hearing the satisfying crunch of bone, and turns to Elena. “Time to go. Car’s over there.”
Elena rushes over instead and neither stop her. She drops to her knees at Damon’s side, flinching at the steady stream of blood that flows from the back of his head. Deep down she knows it’ll heal, is probably almost done, but it’s still dizzying to watch. “Are you okay?”
“Peachy.” The word slips out through a groan. Damon just lies there, eyes unfocused, his shoulder popping when he stretches it out. “I let him do that.”
“Really? ‘Cause it looked like he surprised you.”
“Just what I want him to think.”
Damon starts to stand, accepting Elena’s hand even though everything’s probably healed already and he puts hardly any of his weight in it. “Come on, let’s go home.”
She half expects Damon to argue; he came here for a reason, only brought her because he came across her on the road, and she didn’t see anything that might indicate a plan coming together. Instead he nods. “I’ll just get my jacket and have a quick word with Bree.”
Elena presses her hand hard against his chest. He’s tired enough to let her. “You need to clean your face, either use the bathroom or get in the car. I’ll get your jacket and say goodbye.”
“And leave me with Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Death? No, thank you.”
He lets her lead him to his car, his steps slow but sure, and Elena almost believes he really did let Lee beat the crap out of him. Except it’s Damon, he’s not so generous. Lexi leans against an SUV parked behind the Camaro, wipes in one hand and a towel in the other. “Bree didn’t want you scaring the patrons,” she says, throwing them his way.
“Did you get his jacket, too?” Elena asks.
Lexi shrugs. “What jacket?”
“Never mind, I’ll be right back.”
Inside, she grabs Damon’s jacket off the stool and waits for Bree to finish serving someone. “I’m just saying goodbye, from all of us.”
“Damon alive?”
“Yes. Did you know what Lee was going to do?”
Bree snorts. “Honey, I don’t think Lee knew what he was going to do until he did it. But he had that whole death glare going on and it was Damon who said to take it outside. They’d only just left when you and Lexi came back, I knew you’d get there.”
Elena eyes the entrance. It’s even darker now, but no one comes through the main door. “Are you closer to Damon or Lexi?”
“Lexi,” she says immediately. She smiles, though, soft and fun. Full of memories. “But Damon was special to me for a time and there’s just something about him we just can’t say no to.”
“We?”
Her smile broadens. “We. Which is why I want you to give him this.”
Bree pulls a napkin from her bra, folded enough times for Elena to know it’s for his eyes only. She takes it hesitantly all the same. “What is it?”
Bree stares down the napkin, reminding Elena that witches can easily start fires with their minds. She debates dropping it, just in case Bree’s reconsidering Damon having it, but settles for bunching it up in her fist. Bree’s smile turns downward, the lines deepening. “What he came for. But if anyone asks, he didn’t get it from me. Do you understand?”
“I understand,” she says even though she doesn’t.
Damon’s face is clean by the time she returns to the car. His jacket’s on. His smirk looks plastered on. Lexi nods to the passenger side of the SUV. “You coming?”
The napkin’s hot under her fingers. “I’ll drive with Damon. It’s fine, I promise.”
Lexi nods once, wooden. “We’ll be following the whole way.”
Damon waits until he’s started the engine before speaking. “So me, huh? Should I be honoured?”
She lets the napkin slip through her fingers, grabbing a corner at the last minute. “Bree wanted you to have this. Said it’s what you came for.”
Elena doesn’t feel it being snatched away, but it’s in Damon’s hands, smoothed out and readable for him, tilted just enough to hide from her. His sudden, genuine grin tells her it’s good news.
Something about it sits heavy on her chest, a voice whispering in her ear that she’s made the wrong choice.
Damon pockets the napkin, turns on the radio, and drives off, ignoring Lexi and Lee following behind.