TVD: Beyond the pale moon

Elena got up from her seat to go and open the door. Stefan followed behind her quickly. I looked at the two leaving and Bonnie asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah… I'm fine." I smiled and nodded.

I heard Elena open the door and I heard Caroline's voice. "Surprise." Oh poor girl. "Bonnie told me about the dinner so I brought desert."

"Hope you don't mind."

Bonnie looked at me and asked, "What's taking them so long?"

I shrugged my shoulders and said, "Could be some homeless guy? A straggler? Stalker?"

Bonnie looked at me and I said, "I'm joking." I poured myself another glass of wine.

"Are you sure you should be drinking that much?" Bonnie looked at me with concern.

I took a sip and said, "Oh, yeah… I have a great capacity for alcohol…" She looked at me and I said, "Probably not something that I brag about."

Moment later Damon walked into the dinning room and looked at me, "Oh, what a surprise to see you here, brother."

"Wish I could say the same." Caroline walked behind him and I looked at Damon and said, "Are you babysitting now? Did the drug money run out?"

Caroline scoffed and glared at me. "Ohh… see you're drinking again. I'd be careful if I were you… you know how you get."

I chuckled and said, "Hahaha, funny… remind me again… who was put into rehab out of us? Cause I can't remember."

Stefan came in quickly and said, "Okay… enough you guys…"

"Sorry." I looked at Stefan and he nodded.

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My appetite died with Damon's sudden appearance and all of us took seat on the living room couches. An awkward silence. Befall the room and everyone became quiet. Looking at each other while Tom just glared holes into Damon.

Damon sighed and said, "Let me be the mature one… I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry? He was being a little brat." Caroline yapped.

I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath and nodded. Caroline looked at me, "Jesus." I shook my head and said, "I'm not sorry… but my behaviour was disrespectful towards Elena." I turned to her and said, "I'm sorry."

Caroline scoffed and I looked at her and said, "You might wanna clear that throat out."

"You have a beautiful home Elena." Damon looked at her and said with his weird pouty face.

"Thanks." Elena politely nodded.

Caroline sighed again and shook his head and said, "Stefan I heard you made the team." Stefan nodded, "I can't believe Mr. Tanner did it. Tyler must be seething. But good for you. You go and get it."

"That's what I always tell him. You have to engage. You can't just sit there and wait for life to come to you. You have to go get it." Damon looked at Elena and tried to look poignant.

Caroline looked at Elena and a wave of animosity was spread from her and I could feel it, "Yeah, Elena wasn't so lucky today. It's only because you missed summer camp. God, I don't know how you're ever going to learn the routines."

Bonnie looked at Caroline then at Elena and said, "She'll be fine… I'll work with here and she'll be back in no time."

Damon gave Elena a smug look before saying "You know, you don't seem like the cheerleader type, Elena."

"Oh, it's just 'cause her parents died. Yeah, I mean, she's just totally going through a blah phase. She used to be way more fun. And I say that with complete sensitivity." I looked at her and wondered if Damon told her to be rude like this or is she just like this.

"I'm sorry, Elena. I know what it's like to lose both your parents. In fact, Stefan and I have watched almost every single person we've ever cared about die."

"We don't need to get into that right now, Damon." Stefan solemnly looked at Damon and said it with a straight face.

"Oh, you know what, you're right, Stef. I'm sorry. The last thing I wanted to do was bring her up. Mmm."

"Do you?" I looked at him with my eyebrows arched up.

We stayed a bit off that topic and let the girls talk mostly. Elena went to do the dishes and soon Damon followed him to the kitchen leaving Bonnie and Caroline with us.

I looked at Caroline and asked, "How did you two meet?"

"At the grill… it was like out those movies. Where the sailor sees the girl and then turns to his buddy and says 'I'm going to marry her someday.' It was amazing." 

I nodded and hummed, "Seems very nice until the last part."

"What do you mean?" Caroline looked at me with skepticism.

"Oh… I'm just saying that you could definitely do better than him… and besides I know him… he's not that big on commitment."

Bonnie looked at me and asked in a hush tone, "What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to protect her." I looked back at Caroline and she said, "Well, I think you are just being jealous."

I scoffed and chuckled, "Jealous of what exactly?"

Caroline looked at me and said, "Didn't you try to shoot your shot at me during the party?"

Bonnie looked at me and I tilted my head and said, "You mean that time when I gave Stefan some space so he could talk to Elena?"

"Sure let's go with that." Caroline smirked and Bonnie got up and said, "I'm gonna go and check if they need some help in the kitchen."

She left and now it was the three of us, "You're quite the vixen… aren't you?"

Caroline looked at me and just shrugged her shoulders, "So Stefan how's things with Elena?"

Stefan nodded and said, "Things are great…" He looked at her scarf and said, "That's a nice scarf. Can I see it?"

She touched her scarf and I said unbothered, "Don't try… she won't can you?" 

She looked confused and Stefan looked at me and said, "She's been compelled?"

I nodded and sighed, "This is just great…"

"Isn't it?" Damon came into the room and walked over to Caroline and said, "Hmm. Hey, you know, um, Elena and Bonnie are finishing up the dishes. Why don't you go see if you can help?"

Caroline chuckled and looked at him and said, "Does it look like I do dishes?"

Damon pleaded and asked "For me?"

"Hmm...I don't think so."

Damon sighed and looked into Caroline's eyes and said, "Go see if Elena needs help in the kitchen."

"You know what? I'm gonna go see if Elena needs some help in the kitchen."

"Great."

Caroline got up and left the room. Stefan looked at me and I was just trying to control myself and Damon said, "Don't look at me that way… you do it too."

"Not like you… dollar store Dracula." 

"They aren't play things Damon… they are real people. She doesn't exist for your amusement, for you to feed on whenever you want to."

Damon shrugged and said, "Sure she does. They all do. They're whatever I want them to be. They're mine for the taking."

"All right, you've had your fun. You used Caroline, you got to meet Elena, good for you. Now it's time for you to go."

"That's not a problem. Because...I've been invited in, and I'll come back tomorrow night and the following night and I'll do with your little cheerleader whatever I want to do. Because that is what is normal to me."

"Sure you want to do that?" I looked at him solemnly 

"And what are you gonna do?"

"Do you want to find out?" 

"How about I go and take a visit your little play thing tonight… I'm sure she would be interested to know all about you?"

I scoffed and sucked my teeth, "Keep doing it Damon… cause the more you act out. The more I'm tempted to do it and I'm not like Stefan. I'm not him… I can and will kill you if you don't stop."

"Well, I will take that as an invitation." 

"Sure Damon but remember this… fuck around and you will find out."

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After that disaster of a dinner ended, I could finally breathe fresh air and relax. Even though it was not how I imagined today it could have been worse. I was dropping Bonnie off to her Grams place. It was not ideal but it was a gentlemanly thing to do. During the ride we didn't talk much and after we reached the place. She stayed quiet and I said, "I'm sorry for tonight."

She looked at me and said, "I'm sorry that I dragged you into it."

I sighed and rubbed my face with my hands, "It's just that Damon get's on my nerves… whenever he acts like this."

"He acts like that all the time?" Bonnie asked

"No… we're kinda alright at home. We all stay in our corners trying to avoid him." I looked at the sky and it was a clear night sky filled with stars.

"He's not like that you know." Bonnie looked at me and said, "You said that about Stefan as well."

"What happed? Is that something to do with Katherine" Bonnie asked.

I nodded, "She was a someone they cared for and losing her made Stefan all doom and gloom, made Damon this uncaring sociopath…"

"What about you?" Bonnie asked her eyes filled with anticipation and hunger for truth.

I sighed and said, "She's someone that I hated for a long time… but now… I've come to let go of it. But there are these times that make me so angry… she took my brothers from me. She took."

Bonnie looked at me and waited, "Anyway… as much as I hate to admit it. She was important."

Bonnie nodded and looked at me and asked, "Do you miss her?"

I shook my head, "No… I really don't." I chuckled and she looked confused, "I just miss the people… the people we were when we were not so broken."

I shook my head and said, "That's enough for today. I think." 

Bonnie nodded and got out of my car and I looked at her leaving and I said, "Bonnie?"

She turned around and I said, "I enjoyed my time with you… and I hope we can do it again sometime… excluding my brothers of course."

She chuckled and nodded. I smiled and started the car and was out of there.