"Are they gone yet?" I whispered, peering around the doorframe.
"Yeah," Damon smiled, drumming on his knees. "They're gone."
"Thank God," I sighed. "I was wondering when they were going to leave. Where's Stefan?"
"Staying at Elena's."
"Sounds about right. What do they get up to? I mean, poor Elena must be awfully tired, if they, you know..."
"You know what that feels like, huh?"
"Yeah. I was a virgin before I met you. Now look at me. I'm fucked up. Thanks to you. You're definitely a bastard. Let alone a bloody legend."
There was an eery silence then, filled with only the sound of a clock ticking harmlessly somewhere else in the house. We sat like that for what seemed like hours on end.
"What now?" I breathed, resting my head in my hands.
"Well, there's a whole list of things we could do." Damon winked at me, and I shot him a bitter yet playful glare. As he mirrored my expression I burst into a fit of hysterical giggles.
"What's so funny?" Damon grimaced.
"Not sure," I choked. "Just in a giggly mood."
"A giggly mood? Seriously? Look, there's much better things we could be doing with our time, but instead we're stuck here, in this dull living room, suffering from plain smalltalk. Live a little!"
"Do you have any suggestions?"
"We could always go to the Grill..."
"And there are many reasons why that's not such a great idea. First of all, I'm supposed to be, well, not here. Potentially dead might be a better description. Second, we've already been pissed today. I'm only just sobering up. Neither you nor I should drink anything for the next twenty-four hours."
"If I wanted mothering, I would get our witch friend to resurrect my dead mother. However, I think I'm old enough to take care of myself."
"Yes, sir."
Before I was forced to break yet another complicated, there was a loud, booming knock on the door. Damon rolled his eyes before getting up and slowly pacing out into the hall. I beat him into the punchline, running ahead of him and opening the door.
Klaus stood before me.
"What do you want?" Damon asked, laughter in his tone though his facial expression was somewhat solemn. I pressed my lips together to prevent myself from smirking.
"Don't worry," Klaus surrendered. "I'm not here to take anyone, much less kidnap anyone. I just need to remind you that it's the full moon tomorrow evening, and Elena has volunteered to be sacrificed. I still need to find a vampire and werewolf. I was planning on using some of your playmates, but I've just been to visit the beautiful Elena at her prostegious home, and it turns out that she won't help me out unless I agree that neither the vampire or the werewolf will be used in the sacrifice. She sent me to you, as you two would apparently sort out all of the details while Elena and Stefan 'went to bed'. Please invite me in, and the three of us can try and work something out."
"I'm not inviting you in," I spat, and Damon nodded in agreement. "Anyway, we can't. That's Elena's job. She is, after all, the owner of the house. It's in her name."
"However," I added, surprising Damon who was now extremely close behind me, "I'd be willing to accompany you on your supposed quest to find a stray vamp and a stray wolf. It might be fun. I heard about your little road trip with Salvatore number two. Sounded quite fun. I want in."
"Lizzie," Damon murmered. "You have no idea what you're getting yourself into."
"Oh, I think she does," Klaus interjected eagerly. "I'd be willing to have her by my side. It might be much easier. She's, in some senses, gifted."
"Gifted?" I frowned.
"Well, you don't seem rabid," Klaus stated. "Most vampires are driven insane by their hunger. You, on the other hand, seem completely...with it."
"With it?" I scoffed. "I'm hardly with it. I'm completely out of it."
Damon's arms circled my waist as he rested his chin on my shoulder. Klaus just stood staring at us, as if waiting for some kind of answer.
"Can I help you?" I inquired slowly.
"Is your posessive boyfriend permitting you to accompany me or am I going to be standing here all evening?"
"I'm coming with you," I decided. Damon stepped back, releasing his hold on me.
"Go ahead," he gave in, turning on his heel and slowly walking down the hall. "I'll just have another glass of whiskey. Or two. Doesn't really matter. You'll be off helping a psychopathic hybrid while my brother's fucking his girlfriend. There's nothing abnormal about that."
"I'll have her back to you by noon," Klaus said with assurance. "Her help in this situation can only go so far."
"Do you want my service or not?" I scolded, slightly offended.
Klaus rolled his eyes before gesturing for me to follow him outside. I shook my head before sprinting into the living room, where I found Damon sprawled across the sofa.
"I'm going with Klaus."
"I know you are. Get gone already."
"You know why I'm doing it."
"Yes. I do. But that doesn't mean that I have to like it."
"I never told you that you have to like it."
"Good, because I don't, and I won't."
"I'll be back later. I promise. I won't do anything stupid, and I won't let Klaus harm me."
"You can't stop him. He's invincible. Well, almost invincible. Though you may not let him harm you, he will, whether you like it or not."
"I'm willing to take that risk."
"Why?"
"Because I actually want to help out, Damon. I'm tired of having to sit back and do nothing. It's boring. You lot get to be a part of the action, but I just have to, well, do nothing. It's kinda crap. Just let me do this, then I'll retake my place as your boring girlfriend. The one who stays in the background and is barely acknowledge."
Damon grinned. "I like your courage, Lizzie. Go on. Have your fun. Take your moment in the spotlight. I'll see you later. Bye."
"Bye, Damon. I love you."
I left with Klaus before he could reply.