Say You Love Me Damon Salvatore

“Okay, great, I’ll see you Tuesday!”

“See you!” I hung up the phone and checked F.I.R.E off my list. Yes, I had a To-Do List, but it made my living hell life easier. Especially now.

I had just talked to Zack and told him I’d be able to have band practice in two days. I was actually going to school tomorrow; what a nightmare. Damon wasn’t going, so that made it even less tolerable, but, then again, if I were a hundred-and-what-not-vampire, I’d skip school, too.

“Now, how come your vampire-boyfriend doesn’t seem to care about your mortal soul?” Jewels asked distractedly. She was watching New Moon, somewhere after the most horrific part of the movie: Edward removing his shirt. I swear, he has the chest of an eighty year old man. What girl wants to see that? Now, Lautner on the other hand had me doing the crazy fan girl squeal every time he was on screen. But, of course, I had to convince Damon that he had a better chest than Lautner (half of what I said was true….)

“’Cause he knows I don’t want to be a vampire and be all emo and say I’m dying of old age at seventeen,” I said grumpily, staring through my glasses at my sketchy To-Do List. My contacts were being stupid today and drying every five seconds so I said ‘screw it’ and wore my plastic framed green and brown glasses.

“No, he just doesn’t wanna deal with you for eternity, let alone in, say, a month,” Jewels mumbled.

I could laugh. If she knew anything about yesterday—I don’t kiss and tell!—she wouldn’t even think about saying that. But I wasn’t going to enlighten her. Not just yet. I mean….yesterday was so wonderful; I couldn’t even begin to tell her how amazing it was…..And I wouldn’t tell Elena, either, because she’d probably puke at the thought or something.

Anyway, the next thing on my check list was to take Simon to the mall to take him to Game Stop. Damon was coming, too, since...well, I don't know, I guess I just really wanted him around.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*

Game Stop was fun, I bought Simon a couple of games—the new Final Fantasy game, and some Super Smash Bros.game—and then we went to grab something at Burger King. Simon and Damon struck up a conversation about Final Fantasy and I found it immensely funny that Damon even knew the game as well as he did.

The entire time, I couldn’t stop smiling at him. I guess you could classify that as glowing. A couple of times he caught my eye and smiled back, which sent frantic butterflies off in my stomach. I knew then, though—however weird it may seem after only being with him for a couple of months—I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. I didn’t want to become a vampire, though. But I wouldn’t think about the future just yet. I was living my life in the now.

~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

We had three songs Zack and Delaney had written and one I had written. I got the inspiration a while ago and was working on it. It was somewhere after my mom had gotten hospitalized. I was so freaked out with Jeremy being around that I had to do something—and writing it seemed the only thing I could think of.

Zack helped with the chords for almost two hours, showed them to the band, who practiced it for a while, and then, finally, it was time to put it all together.

I stood, holding the mic, like it was my first time singing in an audience. Well, Steph, Jewels, Kurt, and Alex were the audience, but anyway. My legs shook and so did my voice a little bit. It was weird; I was speaking my entire life right now. There really was no happy ending to the song, but was there really in my life? That was a silly thought. Of course there was. I had Damon.

I sang, “Is there anyone?
Is there anything?
To hold him back
Back from me

It's like I'm in a dream
Nothing is what it seems
I run and I try
I try to understand

~Chorus~
What does he want from me?
What does he need from me?
Why did he choose to follow me?
Why won't he leave me alone?
Leave me alone
~Chorus End~

I'm becoming paranoid
Jumping at every noise
But can you blame me?
He's always there

There in the shadows
Waiting for his chance
His chance to get to me

It's not like I want this
It's not like I chose this
Don't blame this on me
Try seeing him through my eyes

~Chorus~

He's here
He's here somewhere
You have to believe me
I can feel him

~Chorus x2~

Leave me alone.”

Jewels and Steph knew what I was talking about. They had grave smiles on our face when they ran up to hug me.

“I’ve got to tell you something,” Steph whispered and Jewels whispered, “Me too.”

They dragged me outside when I excused myself from the band. “What’s up?” I asked them.

Steph fidgeted with her ring finger. It was then that I noticed the simple silver band with a heart shaped diamond on it. I gasped and Steph smiled. “Kurt and I are getting married when we graduate.”

“Stephie!” I embraced her in a big hug. “I’m so happy for you!”

Steph giggled like an excited girl who was getting married. “Thank you. He proposed Friday night.”

I smiled widely. “Congratulations!” I didn’t realize I had tears in my eyes until I blinked and they fell from my eyes. I wiped them away. “So I’m the maid of honor, right?”

Steph laughed. “You and Jewels are.”

“Can you have two maid of honor?” Jewels asked.

Steph shrugged. “But I don’t care. That’s the way it’s gonna be.”

We both hugged her and we all laughed. Steph would be the first to get married. And I was simply elated for her.

“Hey, what about me?” Jewels asked, sniffing loudly, brushing her own tears away.

“Oh, sorry, Jewels,” I sniffed. “Go ahead.”

“Well…Alex and I are getting really serious now….I now, it’s hard to top getting married but I think I’ve finally settled on one guy.”

Steph and I squealed elatedly. “Jewels! That’s amazing!”

Jewels laughed. “I know, I know! I can hardly believe it myself! But he doesn’t let me boss him around like all the other guys I’ve dated and, I don’t know, I guess that just turns me on.”

We laughed. It seemed that all three of us—guyless only a few months ago—were finally finding love in the oddest places. It was….it was just beautiful, and I don’t care how corny that sounds. It really was. And we were all lucky to have guys that loved and treated us so well.

Now there was only one more thing that would make life glow in my eyes; something next on my To-Do List…..

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

My eyes widened and teared up. “What?”

The doctor nodded, opening the door. “Go on in.”

I stepped in slowly at first, hesitant. Then I rushed by my mother’s side and buried my head in her shoulder, sobbing.

She stroked my hair lovingly. “Hey, baby…” she said hoarsely.

I sobbed, with her holding me, for about an hour.

When I finally controlled myself a little bit, I began laughing. That went on for another half hour.

“I’m….you’re…..” I cried and laughed. “I missed you!”

My mom smiled tiredly. “I missed you, too…..Joseph still around?”

I shook my head sadly. “I haven’t heard from him….I’m sorry.”

“That’s fine. I didn’t really like him anyway…”

“But,” I studied my fingers. “Dad’s here…..And I have a brother….”

We talked about Dad, Aunt Moira, and Simon for a few hours—I explained to Mom that they were going out to dinner with one of Dan’s old college friends at five and would probably be home late. Damon for another hour. Then a nurse came in and said I had to leave to give Ms. Ashwern rest. I began to protest—how unfair was it that I had to leave so soon? But my mom assured me she would be coming home next week and that I should go home to rest.

I kissed her forehead. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Mom. I love you.”

“I love you too, baby,” my mom murmured tiredly.

I let her sleep, but I glanced over my shoulder one last time before going out into the lobby. I wanted to stay with her so badly, but she was right. I could come back early tomorrow morning.

I was surprised to see Damon in the lobby. “How long have you been here?” I asked, walking up to him.

He shrugged. “Couple hours.”

I sighed and lay my head on his shoulder, wrapping my arms around his torso and he held me back. I needed his arms around me. I was so happy, it was the very best thing that could have made this entire day better.

“C’mon, I’ll take you home,” Damon murmured and led me out to his car.

“My band is performing with our own songs this week,” I said tiredly. I was exhausted from laughing and crying. “You wanna come?”

Damon smiled at me and my heart skipped a necessary beat. “Of course.”

I love you so much, I thought and closed my eyes.

I was woken up gently a few minutes later. “C’mon, sweetheart, wake up,” Damon murmured.

I groggily got out of the car, leaning against Damon as we walked up the driveway. Dan, Aunt Moira, and Simon were probably still gone.

Today had been a good day. My mom was on the rebound, I was on the right path with my dad, Simon had told me was starting to really like having a sister, Juliet and Alex were getting serious, Steph and Kurt were getting married, my band was flouring and about to produce their first CD; and through it all, I still had Damon.

I held onto his hand as we walked up my front porch steps. It was beginning to rain and I checked my watch. It read seven thirty. Everyone should be home soon, which meant Damon and I couldn’t have time alone for a while.

Sure enough, I received a text message from my dad. I read out loud, “Dan says everyone’s on there way, they’ll be home in fifteen minutes. He says no funny business.” I smiled at Damon.

Damon drew me closer to him by my waist. “Our business isn’t funny.”

I snorted a laugh. “Right, of course, what the hell was he thinking? Our business is concluded in under fifteen minutes.

Damon wiggled his eyebrows and smirked. “You offering?”

I shoved him playfully, unable to keep the smile from my lips. “No, I’m not. I’m tired; laughing and crying all day can do that to you. It’s been a long day. I’m going to sleep.”

“Sleep is for amateurs.”

I raised a brow. “Amateurs of what?”

Damon paused. “Nevermind.”

I rolled my eyes. “Good night, Damon.”

He chuckled. “Night.”

We kissed and I went into the house without a fuss, glancing back to watch Damon depart. I honestly did hope we would be together for a very long time. I hoped life—or him being a vampire—would get in the way of us.

I shut and locked the door and was about to go for the lightswitch when I realized something. Someone was in the house….I turned back hurriedly to the door, but arms grabbed me from behind and a hand covered my mouth.

“Didn’t bet on you being any smarter,” chuckled a sickeningly familiar voice.

I kicked and squirmed, but the arms only tightened. Mostly I was so surprised because the last I heard from Jeremy was when I chucked my other phone out the window. I had let my guard down. Which had been his plan all along. And I fell for it. Still helpless me. I hadn’t gotten any smarter.

“Uh-uh. You think I’d let you just slip through my fingers? After all I’ve done to get you? After how patient I’ve been?” I gasped as Jeremy grabbed my ass and took out my cell phone. He pressed me against the wall and changed his hold on me. He held my mouth with one hand and pressed his body against me to prevent the use of my arms. He waved the phone in my face. “Text whoever and make those fifteen minutes go away. We need more time to catch up, don’t you think?”

I glared as Jeremy shoved the phone in my hand.

“Just tell them you have to have more time to talk to your precious boyfriend about something important.” I caught the unmistakenable bitterness in Jeremy’s voice when he mentioned my ‘precious boyfriend’.

I shook my head. No.

Jeremy sunk his arm into my neck so I could barely breathe. “Do it,” he commanded, all the previous amusement in his voice lost.

I created a new message.

“And don’t even think about telling them you need help,” Jeremy warned. “I’m checking it when you’re done.”

I wondered why he didn’t just write the message and have me get the contact, but whatever. I texted Dan that I needed to discuss some things with Damon and could he check up on Mom, I was still worried about her. And I told him I loved everyone. It was probably the last anyone would hear of me….

“Nice,” Jeremy glanced at the message, sent it, and tossed the phone onto the couch.

I glared at him with such hatred it could have lit him on fire. But I wasn’t stupid enough not to be afraid. He would make me die a slow, painful death. I just prayed someone would get suspicious and call the cops. Though that was a longshot.

Jeremy smirked and his dark eyes glowed like a tiger’s. “You miss me, babe?”

I continued to glare.

Jeremy tightened his grip. “I asked you a question.”

“Hmm mmm mm mmwrr wii rr mm mmmm mmm mmmm, ooo iimm!” Which translates as ‘How can I answer with your hand covering my mouth, you idiot’.

Jeremy just laughed and I couldn’t help the shutter that ran down my back. He stroked my face and I shivered again. “I sure missed you. Being this close to you.”

I closed my eyes tightly, willing the nightmare to end.

I think it was right when Jeremy licked my cheek that I snapped. My leg curled and I kneed his gut. It took him by surprise long enough to where his grip loosened and I slipped out of his hold. I ran toward the door and thrust it open, shouting, “HEL—”

I felt the sting of someone slamming their fist in the back of my head just before collapsing to the floor. I distantly heard the door being slammed through the ringing in my ears.

Black spots dotted an angry face before me who was laughing in cold fury as he grabbed a chunk of my hair, forcing me to stand. I swayed on my feet, swearing I had a concussion.

“You little bitch!” Jeremy growled.

“You…” I tried spitting out a proper insult, but I was so light headed, my entire body felt numb and detached.

But through the numbness I felt the distinct burning of needle point canines sinking mercilessly into my neck. A hand slapped over my mouth as I took in a gasp to scream.

ELENA’S POV-

I dialed Liv’s number but received voice mail. “Hey, you’ve reached Olivia Ashwern. Sorry I can’t take your call—I’m too busy trying to get my boyfriend to admit he loves me. If you leave a brief message, I’ll try calling you back—no promises!”

I laughed softly, calling Damon. He was probably with her anyway—he always was these days—and I needed to ask Liv something. He picked up instantly. “Hey, Damon. It’s Elena. Are you with Liv by any chance?”

“No, I just dropped her off at her house,” Damon said. “Why?”

“Oh, nothing. I just wanted to ask if I could stop by to give her something,” I explained. I tried calling her, but she wouldn’t pick up—I guess she’s asleep. So I called you, figuring—”

“What was it you needed to give her?” Damon asked, amused. “I’m not far from her house and I’d love an excuse to go back,” he joked.

I rolled my eyes. “It’s an early birthday present. But it can wait ‘till tomorrow.”

“Her birthday’s coming up?”

I paused. “You didn’t know? It’s April 15. She might have told me not to tell you, but I guess I forgot.”

“Hey—hold on a sec. Li’s dad just texted me…. ‘ll call you back later,” he said, hanging up.

“Okay….” I turned as Stefan stepped in from the front door. “Hey.”

“Hi,” he said with a smile, shaking his coat outside of the raindrops before hanging it on the rack.

“Just got off the phone with Damon,” I said, waving my phone. To myself, I mumbled, “He really cares about that girl….”

Suddenly Stefan was hugging me from behind. “Who? Olivia?”

I rolled my eyes. “Of course Liv. What other girl is there that Damon might care about?”

“Well, there’s a bunch of girls involved when it comes to Damon,” Stefan pointed out.

I shook my head. “No, she’s different. She just might be the one to change him for good…..” I could have been, I thought distantly. But I was already in love with Stefan.

Stefan snorted. “That’d take a miracle.”

“You saw her. You saw the way he looks at her,” I rounded almost angrily. Why was it I knew Damon better than his own brother sometimes? “He forgets what he is around her and she doesn’t remind him.”

“Yeah, but when she found out about him—”

“Stefan, darling, I love you. But you really are a complete idiot sometimes,” I laughed. “Of course she freaked. Her boyfriend—who she thought was perfectly normal—turned out to be a vampire. I freaked, too, Stefan. It takes a rare person to be able to deal with that. And it takes a woman in love to go back to a monster.”

“She’s going to get hurt,” Stefan said firmly.

I shook my head. “I don’t think so. He loves her, too, Stefan.” A part of me ached to say that because a part of me would always love Damon. But I chose Stefan—and I loved Stefan with all my heart. And Damon was now choosing Olivia.

What started out as a cruel joke on a random human girl to prove Stefan and me wrong about humanity turned out to be a beautiful thing….for both of them.

LIV’S POV-

I glared up at Jeremy, spitting blood in his face. Without even a second’s hesitation, he backhanded me again. My head whipped to the sie and I flexed my jaw. You know the really hardcore woman in the movie where she’s being attacked and she knows martial arts and has all these witty comebacks? Yeah. I was so not that lady.

I was scared. Scared of death. I was scared to laugh at Jeremy with a witty comeback. I was scared of losing the ones I loved the most. The most I could do was not break down crying and beg for my life. I had too much pride for that.

Jeremy licked his blood stained lips, smirking. “Mm, I forgot how good you taste….”

With the blood still lingering in my mouth, I could have vomited. As it was, I was glaring at Jeremy with a passion, but that only seemed to turn him on more. What was with me and guys who liked it when I turned them down?

Jeremy laughed. Then he sighed. “I wonder how such time our little text message bought us….It really is a shame to destroy something so beautiful….” He stroked my cheek with the back of his knuckles.

I shivered, throwing my head to the side to avoid his cold hand. “Just get it over with.”

“Oh, no, ma’am,” Jeremy chuckled. “A good gentleman never rushes through a lady’s first time.”

I had half a mind to spit on him again. I glared at him. “You disgust me.”

That only seemed to amuse him more. “Maybe.” Then he sighed. “So, darln’, how should we do this? Dismemberment? Tear your heart out? Chinese water torture? Human punching bag?”

I stared at him in horror. My legs shook and I swore I was about to faint. He really was going to do any, or all, of those terrible things…..Oh, God…..Oh, God! Someone help me! I don’t wanna die! I’m too young to die! I wanna live and have a career and get married and have kids who have kids then I’d have grandkids—I wanted gray hair for crying out loud!

A small whimper escaped that. Jeremy liked that. A lot. “Such a shame,” he kept murmuring.

Then don’t do it, I thought vainly.

I closed my eyes and waited for it all to be over.

A sharp pang that left a horrible after sting and ringing hit my cheek. “Look at me, damnit!” Jeremy swore angrily.

Maybe that was the key; get him angry enough to kill me quickly instead of agonizing torture. I kept my eyes shut and turned my head away from him.

He hit me again, but this time grabbed my chin to face him. I kept my eyes firmly shut. “Look at me,” he commanded furiously through clenched teeth.

Breathing hard, I kept my eyes shut.

“You’re trying my patients!” Jeremy shook me roughly. “Do as I say!”

I did the bravest thing I could have ever done. I opened my eyes, smiling defiantly, and said loud and proud, “No fucking way.”

Instead of being hit or shook, I was thrown across the room. My arm caught on something sharp, tearing through my jacket and creating a painful gash. I bit my lip to stop myself from crying out in sheer agony. Hot tears stung my eyes as I tried to block out the pain, even as Jeremy hauled me by my hair to a sitting position.

“You stupid bitch!” he said in my ear furiously. I was panting to hard, my tiny gasps of pain were barely heard. But Jeremy soon stopped and stared at my blood soaked arm. He shoved me down on my back and laughed, bending over to lap up my blood like a dog lapping up water from its bowl.

I screamed, “Get off me, you sick—” but Jeremy covered my mouth with a bloody hand.

He was smiling and I could see his blood stained teeth. His eyes seemed to glow more, causing him to look more frightening. He licked his lips and moaned. “Mm, you really do taste luscious.”

I gagged, dry heaving.

Jeremy laughed, supremely satisfied by my disgust. He picked me up by my collar in a sitting position. My head had already been light from the concussion, then by the blood Jeremy took, and now from my arm. I doubted, even if I were saved that instant, I would survive. I’d lost too much blood. I was feeble and ineligible to even keep my own head up.

Jeremy laughed. “I’m just about finished with you.” He pinched my arm and I gasped weakly. “You feel that? Good. Then you’ll feel what’s coming next.”

He raised a pointed metal pipe. I could see the reflection of my face as the pipe came down. I didn’t even look like myself. The girl that was staring had pleading hazel eyes and her once pretty face was covered with blood and oncoming bruises. And she closed her eyes just as the pipe would pierce her skin….

The front door suddenly caved in and a tall, tense figure ran at Jeremy with impossible agility. I gasped as I was brought to my feet and shoved in front of Jeremy, the metal pipe pointing threateningly at my chest.

The figure stopped short, his hands curled into fists at his side. Black eyes glared hatefully at Jeremy and I could see, in the depths, how much he wanted to rip the other vampire’s head clear from his shoulders.

“Damon….” I breathed in relief. But my voice was weak and wispy and my eyelids kept threatening to close.

Damon’s expression changed for a split second to me. He had a look of horror and empathy in his eyes, wishing he could take all the pain I was feeling and just take me away in his arms. But he knew how impossible that was. As if severely angered by that, Damon glared at Jeremy and I could have sworn an animal-like growl escaped from deep within his throat.

“Let her go, you son of a bitch,” he growled, barely containing his fury.

“Whoa, whoa, bucko,” Jeremy laughed tauntingly. “Finders keepers and I saw her first.”

“She’s not a toy you can play with!” Damon shouted, taking two steps forward.

“Not what you thought when you first met her. And,” I gasped as the metal tip poked my skin. “I’d stop, if you don’t want to kill her.”

Damon stopped.

Jeremy laughed and grabbed my face. “And isn’t she just delicious?” he licked blood off my face. I whimpered in disgust.

“I wouldn’t know,” Damon growled through severely clenched teeth.

“You’ve never tasted her blood?” Jeremy gasped mockingly. “Oh, I guarantee it! ‘Sides, she’s no fun to me in this state. I’m bored.”

Time seemed to slow in that instant. Jeremy’s hold on me switched. The pipe drew sharply up and I could hear the fateful wiiissshhh of it as it sailed down……penetrating my lungs.

I gasped in horrendous pain and I distantly heard Damon shouting through the blood rushing in my ears and my immense shock. I choked on something—air, I guessed, as it wasn’t entering my lungs. I was harshly shoved forward and heard retreating and advancing steps in all the same, excruciating moment.

“Olivia!” a hazy voice yelled.

Strong arms caught my fall and I was being cradled tightly, but I couldn’t feel it because my body was so numb.

Hair was pushed out of my face with frantic, shaking fingers and someone continued to shout, “Olivia!”

I tried focusing my eyes on him. It was hard, with my rapidly shaking body and suffocation. But I was able to stare into the black eyes of the man I loved most. I tried to speak, , to tell him one last time how much I loved him. But what came out was a series of gasps, whimpers, and strangled screams.

Those black eyes were glazed over. Wait—Damon was crying? Over me? Oh, my, that was bad. “Olivia, please…..” he was begging in a panicked, but low voice. “Please, Olivia, hang in there. Stay with me….”

I shook my head when Damon made a motion to cut his wrist. It was too late to be changed into a vampire. And besides, however painful it was, I think I would rather die, like how it’s supposed to be.

Damon’s grip tightened. He knew, too, it was too late for me. “Damnit, Liv!” His voice cracked. “Don’t do this, don’t……Don’t leave me….”

Tears leaked from my clouding eyes. I wouldn’t leave him if I had a choice. Too many people had left him to be scared orphan boy with a brother who didn’t understand his pain. I choked on a painful sob.

Damon pressed my head under his chin, holding onto me for dear life. His arms shook, but that could have been my body spasms that were gradually slowing. “I love you,” he whispered in my ear.

I choked and a strangled cough escaped me. Blood spattered on Damon’s shoulder. My blood. I had a bad spasm after that, but then it was over. My eyes clouded over and, for Damon’s sake, I smiled. I was in the arms of the man who loved me instead of dying in the eyes of a psycho who got off on watching me suffer. Though horribly painful, it was a good way to die. And I was so thankful Damon was there and that he was with me.

I closed my eyes and sighed.

That was the end.

EPILOGUE-
DAMON’S POV-

I wish you would stop arguing with my daughter. I know I haven’t been the father I should have been to her, but she doesn’t need anymore pain in her life. If all you two do is fight, then either try fixing it or do the right thing and walk away. She doesn’t need you to be dragging her along if you’re not committed to her. I mean well to her. I need to know that all the love and trust she’s pouring into you is justified and that you do the same for her.

I had been confused by Dan’s text message, so I drove back to Olivia’s house to see if she could explain. As far as I knew we weren’t fighting. After Saturday, it was like we could never argue about anything again. I was confused at why her father thought we were fighting. We hadn’t fought since Friday night and, though Dan witnessed the last bit, we hadn’t since then.

I would have given anything for an argument instead of what went on. I heard, of course, Jeremy before I was even halfway out of my car. But it was too late. I was too late…

I took a deep breath as I watched the funeral go on from a distance. Helen was in a wheelchair, her face pale and her hands clutching a tissue and the arm of her chair. Dan stood beside her, an arm draped over a weeping Moira. Simon stood beside his father and aunt, staring sadly at his sister’s cherry wood casket. Juliet and Stephanie were leaning against Alex and Kurt for support. I recognized the band near the back, their eyes red rimmed and in shock. Even Elena and Stefan were there, both standing still in the back.

Ms. and Mr. Ashwern were the last to leave. Juliet and Stephanie stayed a long while, but left the parents to grieve. When Dan and Helen left, the casket was lowered silently into the ground.

I couldn’t handle it after that and turned around and walked away.

The worst part was that the little bastard slipped away. But I was going to fix that. I would hunt him down like the low down dog he was and make him die a slow, agonizing death. I would make him suffer pain he hadn’t felt since he was human. He was dead as soon as he began tormenting Olivia again. Now I was involved and his fate would so severe he wouldn’t even think of inflicting it on another person.

And I would enjoy every second of his blood on my hands.