Beauty and A Beast (ON HOLD)

Chapter 25

7 months later

'Well, that was a bust.' Damon burst in through the front door of the Salvatore Boarding house; boots dragging over the floor as he walked straight towards the cabinet full of alcohol. He didn't even look towards Alaric as he poured himself a glass of amber liquid, downing it in a second before refilling it. He couldn't look at his best friend and admit that, once again, their lead had been a dead end. 

Damon paid little attention to Elena quietly shutting the front door before moving to sit on the couch. Her deep sigh filled his ears but he couldn't look at her either. Ever since Andy had vanished, his relationship with Elena had become rocky. Of course, he couldn't blame Elena's best friend for the problems in their relationship but Elena was so busy trying to find a lead to where the Elemental was that she'd become on edge. Damon thought that Jeremy's constant arguing about not being able to find Andy was probably not helping their situation either.

'Are you going to drink your weight in alcohol before you talk to me?'

Damon sighed. He knew ignoring Ric was cruel. After all, Andy was the only family Ric had left and yet there he was, acting like her disappearing act was a personal pain for him. 'Lead didn't pan out. What else do you want me to say?' 

Damon turned round to see Ric dragging a hand across his face. He didn't even need to look at the hunter to tell what he was feeling. It had been 7 months since they had last seen Andy. Or rather, Elijah Mikaelson had last seen her. According to the original, Andy had said that she needed some time alone. The next day, Ric went into her room and saw her clothes littering her floor. No note. No trail. Just an empty bedroom. 

Of course, that didn't mean that Andy was taken, which was the first conclusion Alaric had jumped to. If the girl had said that she needed some time alone to deal with Kol's death, and everything else that had happened, then time is what they'd give her. They just didn't think that time meant half a year. 

After the first month had passed, Ric had sent everyone out to find Andy. Damon and Elena took the west, Caroline and Stefan took the south, the original's split and searched the rest of the country whilst Jeremy, Bonnie and Ric stayed in Mystic Falls with Matt and Tyler to see if they could find any leads. As the search was still ongoing, it was obvious that Andy, or whoever was hiding her, did not want to be found.

'You're right,' Ric sighed as he collected the papers and books on the dining room table. 'Sorry..'

Elena cast a glare in Damon's direction. 'You don't have to apologize, Ric,' she sighed as she pulled herself up from the couch and walked towards the hunter. Elena carefully wrapped her arms around Alaric, pulling him in for a warm hug which he returned. 'We're all worried about her too.' They stayed like that for a moment, enjoying each others comfort whilst Damon downed another glass of bourbon. 

'Where are Jeremy and Bonnie?' Elena asked as Ric pulled away. 

'Supply run. Tensions were getting...a little difficult here.'

'Why? What happened?'

Ric opened and closed his mouth a few times. Damon had moved so that he was standing behind one of the couches; a full glass of bourbon in his hand as he watched the hunter struggle for words. 

Just as he opened his mouth for the thirtieth time, the front door banged open. Heeled boots echoed about the house as Rebekah stalked into the room; hair wet from the beginning thunderstorm outside. 'Another glass? Really?' 

Damon looked down at the tumbler in his hand before lifting his eyes up to the original. 'My house, my alcohol.'

Rebekah rolled her eyes. 'No wonder your relationship with Elena is faltering.' Damon's eyes flickered to Elena's but hers were too locked on Rebekah to even notice. The original was walking towards the alcohol cabinet when the front door banged open again.