Keeping My Distance

twenty four

EDITED

It's been hours and I've fallen asleep on Damon's chest in the parlor room. I'm laying on top of him on one of the couches. He's fast asleep, his arms wrapped loosely around me.

But the reason I woke up is because I heard someone knocking on the front door.

So it sit up from Damon's chest I wipe my eyes and get up, thumping Damon on the forehead to wake him up as well.

"Ow," He says bitterly, rubbing his head as he blinks and sits up.

"Someone is here," I tell him, going to the front door.

I open it hesitantly, unsure of who could be here at this late hour. It's the middle the night.

"Elijah?" I whisper in shock, my eyes widening as they reach my best friend's face.

Elijah smiles sheepishly and walks forward a little,

"I heard you were in a bit of a bind. A witch friend of mine got to contact Kol. And he told her everything who told me everything. It's taken me a few weeks to locate Stefan, though I did locate him."

I stand up and throw my arms around Elijah's neck and kiss his cheek. He hugs me back gently, not pushing any boundaries.

Stefan is alive and he's okay.

"Where is he? We have to go save him," I say looking around for my purse with my car keys.

Elijah smiles and looks behind him,

"It's already done."

I turn and see the last person I'd ever imagine helping us, walk through the door. Klaus, and he walks in with an unconscious body over his shoulder, which I recognize to be Stefan.

"Hello Love. Fancy seeing you again," Klaus winks at me and continues to the parlor with Stefan and he lays him on the couch opposite of Damon, who looks a bit shocked by all of this.

Klaus looks at Elijah and I before walking back out,

"Five minutes, Elijah. We have to get back to New Orleans. Davina will be expecting us."

Elijah nods, not taking his eyes off of me,

"I've missed you Evelyn." He cups my face with his hands and presses his lips to my forehead. A gentle and genuine platonic kiss. He cares about me, like a younger sister.

"I missed you too Elijah, thank you for saving Stefan," I smile gratefully up at him.

"Anything for the love of Kol's life, he practically threatened world destruction when he's alive again if we didn't help you," Elijah gives me a polite smile before hugging me again,

"Goodbye, Eve."

"Goodbye, Elijah," I whisper and then like the wind, he's gone in a swoop of air, the front door closing behind him.

And Stefan wakes up with a huge intake of breath and he sits up like he was being pulled up by a string.

I rush over and kneel beside him on the floor,

"Stefan."

Damon he's up and claps Stefan on the shoulder, sadness and guilt in his eyes,

"Are you okay brother?"

Stefan looks between us, very confused.
I cup his hands with my face,

"It's okay. I'm here. I'm so sorry we didn't find you sooner Stefan. I'm so sorry." I start to cry a little, the tears hot and stinging my cold cheeks.

Stefan takes his hands and politely removes my hand from his face and he looks between Damon and I very uncomfortably.

"I'm so sorry," Stefan locks eyes with both of us,

"I have no idea who you people are."

I cover my mouth with my hand, and glance to Damon before standing up and looking down at Stefan again,

"You're joking."

Damon frowns and looks at Stefan,

"You have no idea who you are?"

Stefan shakes his head,

"I know I was put into that safe by a witch named Silas, I don't remember anything except dying and waking up on repeat," Stefan looks at me curiously now,

"You seem so familiar, like I've seen you before. But I don't recall your name."

Damon vampire speeds out of the room and is back in a second, he then plunged a syringe into Stefan's arms and pushes the plunger down.

Stefan gasps in pain then slumps to the couch, knocked out again and I push Damon away.

"Damon, you're hurting him," I shout, not wanting Stefan to be in trouble.

Damon yanks me away from Stefan and his face becomes hard and is inches from mine,

"I'm trying to protect you. We have no idea what Stefan is capable of right now, don't fight me on this."

His voice is so firm that I shudder and nod at him.

"Okay," I agree, my voice becoming small and weak.

Damon throws his brother over one shoulder and is gone in a whisp  of air and is back within a minute.

I'm standing now and I pull my hair out and let it fall down my back,

"I'm going to go shower."

Damon nods and we don't dare look at each other, both of us feeling extremely guilty.

Once inside the bathroom, I lock the door and slide my clothes off.
I turn on the water super hot until it almost all but scalds my skin. Then I sit on the floor of the shower and cry until I can't tell the water and my tears apart.

** two hours later **

After my fit in the shower, I actually bathed then cleaned myself up. I straightened my hair and dressed in jeans and a long sleeve shirt.

I need to be okay. Because Damon and I will figure this out. We have to.

The only thing wrong with my appearance was my slightly still red and puffy eyes. But I don't care.

I walk out into the living room and pour myself some vodka even though I haven't eaten anything today.

"How is he?" I ask Damon who just walked up from the basement.

I figured he locked Stefan in the cellar so he couldn't get out.

"He's upset but he's okay. I've been giving him his old journals. Hoping it'll spark something," Damon sighs and takes my glass from me and drinks from it before handing it back to me half empty now.

I sigh myself and look anywhere but him,

"I don't know how to handle this Damon. I'm not cut out for this. I want to talk to Jer but he's dead. He's not here anymore. And Elena won't look at me. Alaric and Jo don't need my problems. I have no one."

I chug the rest of the vodka then set my glass down and turn to leave the room, but my hand gets caught by Damon's and he spins me so I'm facing him.

He presses my hand to his chest so I can feel his heart beat, his eyes boring into mine,

"Feel that Eve?"

I nod a little, and he pulls me a few inches closer. My breath hitching at our close proximity.

"I'm here," Damon says, his blue eyes blaze and I can tell he's serious.

I start to cry again a little and he pulls me into his chest for a hug now, and he whispers into my hair,

"I'm here, Evelyn. I won't leave you. I promise."