Silent Prayers

Chapter 34

They all heard the back door open and then slam closed, making Elena jump slightly. Stefan wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed the side of her head. "I'll go talk to him" he said.

Elena shook her head no. "Why don't you let me" she offered. Maybe she could get through to him in a way Stefan couldn't right now. Elena glanced at Katherine before turning and leaving to go and find Damon. She could hear Stefan talking to Katherine as she left, but couldn't really understand what he was saying exactly.

Damon hadn't gone far. Elena found him pacing by his truck, clearly trying to decide whether to leave or stay.

He saw her and stopped walking. He ran a nervous hand through his hair and sighed deeply. "I'm sorry, Elena. You don't need all this right now" he said. He felt as guilty as he felt mad. "I'll get rid of her" he promised.

Elena stood in front of him and frowned. "I'm alright" she assured him. She saw him looking at her like he was trying to figure out if she was telling the truth or not. She was. "And I'll support you in however you want to handle Katherine" she told him honestly. "But I think you should talk to her. Hear her out" she said. "She came back for a reason. Don't you want to know what that reason is?" Elena asked.

Damon looked past Elena, not wanting to look her in the eyes any longer and give something away.

"I asked you one day, what you would do if Katherine came back" Elea reminded. "And you told me you didn't know, but that you still loved her." That had to count for something.

Damon leaned against his truck and sighed. "I don't know, Elena" he said. He was so confused and frustrated. "She wants something." He knew deep down, that's why she had returned. "I guess the sooner I find out, the sooner she will leave" he shrugged. As long as he gave her what she wanted.

"She needs a place to stay" Elena announced. "Stefan offered to let her stay at the beach house."

Damon closed his eyes and lowered his head. "Of course he did" Damon said. Stefan and his damn, big caring heart. Damon really didn't want Stefan dealing with Katherine when he was trying to get his own life back on track.

"What if Stefan and I left for a little while, and gave you and Katherine some time to talk?" Elena offered.

Damon looked up at her finally. "I have to get back to work" he said, declining her offer. Could he have stayed home and talked to Katherine for a little while? Yes. But if he was at work, he had distractions and space. He turned around and opened his truck door to get in.

"You wouldn't be this upset about her being here, if you didn't still have feelings for her" she said, resting her hand on his arm before he climbed in. Damon turned to look at her and saw her smiling sadly. "I know, because I felt the same way about Stefan when he first came back" she admitted.

Damon knew she was right. He just wasn't ready to admit it to her or anyone else. "You call me if she gets to be too much to handle" Damon told Elena. Then he got in his truck and shut the door.

Elena stepped back and watched Damon back out of the driveway and leave. Her conversation had not gone how she had hoped, but she was confident that she had given Damon something to think about.

XXXX

Katherine was washing dishes as she watched Elena out of the kitchen window. Elena was in her swim suit attempting to apply sunscreen as she got ready for a swim. Stefan walked into the kitchen and Katherine smiled. "Elena needs help with her sunscreen" Katherine said, turning slightly to look back at Stefan. She nodded her head towards the window. "Well go on" she told him, watching him blush just slightly. "Trust me, sex when you have a sunburn is awful."