Photo ‘Blue Boat Orange Leaves’ owned by www.CindyDyer.WordPress.com

Pre Edit Count –   3,177 Words

Song I listened to for this chapter: Paradise by Coldplay.

Previous:

Elena is by Bonnie’s side as is Caroline.  She looks to Stefan, “Will she be alright?”

Stefan opens a vein, forcing Bonnie to drink it.  His words are clipped as he tells her, “Once she heals she will be.  What she does is cause our synopsis to misfire.  It hurts like hell for us, but could possibly kill a human.  Luckily she stopped sending it when it bounced back to her.”

Caroline shakes her head, “I’ve told her in the past to watch doing that, one of these times it will be visited back on her.  Stefan what is Bella?”

Alaric is the one who answers her, “A shield.  They are a rare being, so rare I have not heard of one in centuries.  But Bonnie’s attack shows that she was right, she cannot be compelled, nor can anything get in that head of hers.”

Stefan looks at him, “Are you sure?  That she is with him because she wants to be?”

Caroline snaps at him, “Stefan!  There are times you show the infamous Salvatore indifference.  And this is one of them.  All Damon has wanted all his life is for someone to want him for himself.  And here is someone who is doing that.  Stop being hateful towards him.”

Damon’s voice comes from the doorway, “Don’t worry, Barbie.  It will take a while.  Alaric, Bella would like you to join her sometime at her home.  She wants to share with you what Isobel has sent her.  Elena, you are welcome, but I warn you, it is all research material.”

He looks at them all and smirks, “Now, I am going home with that awesome woman, and I bid you adieu!”  With that he leaves.

Now:

fWhen Damon had whisked Bella upstairs, he had deposited her on his bed then proceeded to check her for any damage.  When she caught his face, it is worried. “You felt nothing?”

Bella grabs his face and holds him in front of her, where he can see her eyes as she talks to him.  “Damon, I am fine.  Edward couldn’t read my mind, you can’t compel me.  I am fine.” She wants that look gone from his face.

Damon kneels beside the bed, pulling her towards him.  “Mia Carissima, my heart dropped when I realized what she was doing.  It can kill a human!” His heart is in fact beating stronger than normal, and she realizes how scared he must have been.

Bella shakes her head and states to him, “But I am fine.  And if it did kill me, your blood is in me.  I would just turn.  Now, please get the things you need to, and let’s leave.  I’ve had enough of these people.  Alaric and Elena are welcome to my home, no one else.” Her voice turned hard at the end.  How could these people expect Damon to be a better person when they treated him like this?

Damon nods, willing to do whatever she wants right now.  He can’t explain how scared he was to her. He had realized that as much as he tells himself it is too soon for love, that moment told him that he truly loves this woman in front of him.  The thought of her not here had terrified him. Getting his mind back to the here and now, he informs her, “Unless you ask them in, the vampires cannot enter your home.” And he will be looking at options for when she does turn.  If this is a worry, he will fix it.

She looks up at him, as she watches him grab a bag and start packing.  “So you are safe if you are in the house too?” She does not want others in their home.  She needs him to have a safe place, one he knows that will not be attacked in.

He nods as he uses his vamp speed to pack.  He also manages to grab his cuff-links and other items that he has collected over the years, including a ring he had bought when he had his current ring done.  The spells are a rare combination and should help protect the recipient of it.  He grins as he grabs that one. He actually has someone that he wants to give it to.  He also, knowing Carol Lockwood, grabs his suits and have them on the bed, along with some other items.

Bella is watching the blur and when he disappears from the room to another, she follows him and stops.  “Wow.” The room in front of her is amazing.  She had seen a lot of bathrooms when she had looked for ones for her own, but this is amazing.

The whole room was painted in cream, but his open shower was surrounded in stone.  The large bathtub looked comfortable for two.  The whole room gave the impression of masculinity.  She could feel comfortable here, and it just gave the impression of Damon.

Damon came to a stop in front of her, “Like?” His eyes as always, searching her face.  He can’t ever get enough of her.  Every time he could, he rememorized her face, comparing it to his perfect memory of the prior time.

She grins up at him, “Very.”

He leans down and tells her in her ear, “We can always stop back here one day and use it…” His eyes gleaming as he thought of her naked with him.

Bella laughs, “While it is nice, not that nice.  Not when I have a perfectly good bathroom of my own.” She is very amused.  But she will not come back here for a bath when they have a perfectly good tub at her house.  It’s not worth the remarks from the others.

Damon leans down, cupping her face in his hands, kissing her slowly.  When he is done, he then asks, lips brushing hers, “Hopefully we can make use of it together soon?” His eyes looking into hers.

Bella blushes.

He chuckles, then leans forward to kiss her on her forehead as he informs her, “When you are ready, mia carissima, when you are ready.  We have all of eternity at our feet.”

Bella teases him, “And I have a feeling once we start, there will be no stopping you.” Looking up at him with her trust showing in her brown eyes, and she can see his soften in reply, his hands gentle on her face as he stares down at her.

Mischievous eyes sparkle as he loftily says, “Oh, I hope it is more than me wanting it.” Seeing her grin in answer, he kisses her and then continues his packing.

After a couple of minutes, of vamping, but teasing her with little kisses on her neck or other places as he packs, he tells her, “I’ll meet you at the car.  I will grab enough bloodbags for a couple of days until the movers come.” She nods and takes her keys from him.  He disappears just as fast, taking a lot of stuff down to his car.  He had already deposited a lot in her SUV.

As she comes down the stairs, she hears him talking to the group in the room still.  She shakes her head and caught his head nod to go ahead out.  She grins, and slips out of the house. She didn’t want to deal with them no less than Damon wants her to see them.  Shaking her head, she wonders how they will take him leaving them to be with her.

She got into the Porsche, hitting her setting after making sure that Damon’s is programmed in.  She starts her vehicle and left.  She knows he is worried, and wanted her away from the group so they couldn’t hurt her again.  She is worried about him leaving, but knows that he is much more powerful than they realize.  She gets the impression that no one really knows how powerful he really is, and she for one didn’t mind that at all.

She pulls into the garage, leaving the door open for Damon’s car when he gets here.  She opens the back of her SUV and shakes her head.  He brought everything he thought he needed to be the well-dressed vampire.  She grabs some of the clothing and proceeds to bring it into the house and into their room.

Luckily she had just moved in, so it is no difficulty to add his stuff.  She had basically built a room for a closet, not wanting to see dressers or such in her room.  This left tons of room for clothing, which is good since she is getting the impression Damon is a clothing hog.  But she also has a feeling that he will be fun to shop with.  He is a much more laid back dresser in his life, but the suits she saw tells her he cleans up quite well.

With a smile on her face as she tries to imagine Damon in a suit, she heads back out to the garage just in time to see Damon pull in with his classic Chevy Camaro.  She laughs in pure delight as he shuts off the car. Her love of the classics will go well with him.

He is by her side at the same time the door shuts on the car. “What is so funny?” As he takes the clothes out of her arms.

She just shakes her head and tells him, “Wait until you see mine.  I have a funny idea you are going to want to drive it.  It is the only thing I splurged on when I got the first check for Twilight.” She just grabs more of the clothes from the back.  She knows he could probably unpack the cars in less time it will take her to take these upstairs, but she wants to help him move in.

He grins down at her. “I can’t wait to see what you consider a splurge. Now, let’s get the rest of this in, and settle me in.”  He nods with his head for her to proceed him.  He has never enjoyed a move more in his life.

Bella grins as she heads into the house, with him following her closely behind her.

Later that night, after a fun dinner of the two of them working in the kitchen, Damon and Bella are in the library trying to make sense of the books Isobel sent them.

Bella sighs as she mutters, “Could it hurt to not write in a freaking book?  This is the third one, and I need to go page by page not to miss anything!” She drops the book on the desk as she rubs her face.  This is becoming so much more difficult than it really needs to be.

Damon chuckles. “Now here I thought you were a good researcher and read every page.”  He is settled into another chair with books around him as he sips some scotch. “I need to get some alcohol.” He mutters.

Bella looks up and asks, “Why do you drink so much?” She has noticed that he has added wine to their dinners, and even now, often has an alcoholic drink with him.  She remembers him drinking at the Grill when she met him.

He looks up with a smirk. “Besides being Italian?” at her snort he informs her seriously, “Like food, alcohol helps with the lust.  It actually helps better.  And to be frank about it, it helps blend in.  Not eating nor drinking sticks out.”

Bella nods as she comments, “That was the first thing that set me off.  Emmett is huge, and he never ate in the school.  They would buy lunches, but never eat them.” She remembers her watching them and how that had stuck out to her the most.

He chuckles.  “Torment from hell, High School never ending.  I can’t think of a worse punishment.” He shakes his head.  Stefan going through High School again had him teasing him relentlessly.  Even though he started to be close to Elena, it still had made Damon’s day when he had rolled into town and found his little brother as a high school student.

Laughing as she makes another note to the database. “I thought so to.  To tell you the truth, I am glad I met you now.  We are about or are the same age.  And neither of us can be taken as high school students.” She shudders as she thinks on going through high school for the rest of her life.  Nope she rather be older and not mess with school anymore.

He nods as he is reading another page.  Then he frowns.  “Bella, you said you are also looking for more information on Elijah and the rest right?”

Bella’s head came up. “Yep.  And also about Isobel’s note on that all the Founding Families are connected back to them.” She had connected them all, but there were some missing the connection, like Damon’s own family.

He looks up at her and reveals to her, “The Salvatores are not connected to the Original Family like the rest, but it seems you and she are right.  Seems that Esther, the witch mother, is from our family line.” His voice held a sneer in it, letting all know what he thinks on it.

Bella laughs. “And you sound so happy about that.”

Damon shakes his head. “I hate witches.”

Bella got up and from the tree she had of lineages, she drew a line from Esther and added the Salvatores. “You were the last line we couldn’t connect.”  She says as she backs away and looks at the tree.  Part of her is happy that Damon is not related to her in any direct way.  From what they are reading, for some reason, the founding families have interconnected over the years making for more of a web than a family tree.

He mutters, “And it could have stayed that way.  But at least she is from an offshoot, so I am not directly related to her.” From what he is reading from the notes Isabel had of them, they were a remote offshoot.  In fact she thought how odd it was that his family had settled in the same area, not having a link as most did.

Bella laughs, “Try being me who is a descendant of them all?” She looks over her shoulder at him as she comments.

He nods, “But that is ok, I forgive and love you anyways.” His face is still in the book, but he is watching to see her reaction at his comment.  He is telling her the truth, and wonders how she will take it.

Bella throws an eraser at him as they laugh.  She stares at the tree on the board and comments idly, “It is odd that so many related to them did find their way here. I wonder why?” Marking it as something she will look into if the books don’t give her the answer before then.  It is something odd for them all to be here.

She shakes her head, and goes back to the books.  Damon asks, “Why are you so upset about the books?” It is something that has made him wonder since she had exploded on it.

Snorting, Bella explains, “I read the books that were reproduced off this original.  So that is why I don’t need to read every page, but I need to since sometimes she makes notes on things that have nothing to do with the book.” She is grumbling at the end, as she is turning the pages and reading the notes on the side to see if it had any information for them.

That information has Damon’s head look up, “Like she was trying to hide the information?” He has done the same when he has written down anything.  Unlike his brother and Elena’s diaries, his is basically for him to refer back for information.  And the information is buried in a code of what looks like drivel.

Thinking, as she sits back in the chair, “Yeah.  Didn’t think of it that way at first, but you could be on to something.” She rubs her face as she lets the information settle that there may actually be a method to Isobel’s madness.

He laughs at her as he settles to read.  Unlike Bella, he has to read the information to determine if the writing on the side is notes on it or information not related to it.

Before they can get much further in their pursuit, the doorbell sounds.  Bella turns to the computer that is on the system and looks.  She sighs. “More drama it seems.” Just what they wanted after today. And tonight had been so relaxing!

Damon is beside her and growls.  He had enough of the group earlier and like Bella, had been enjoying the quiet break for them.  With this in mind, he heads to the door and opens it to Alaric, Elena and Stefan.

He tells the two, “You two can come in, Stefan can’t.” He is nothing but blunt in his wording.  Tonight was to be the two of them relaxing.

Stefan gets pissed and is going to say something when Bella’s voice comes through.  “He’s right.  Stefan, you are not invited in.  I can’t have any vampires allowed in that may want to hurt Damon.  So far you have not impressed me.” Her voice is hard, as she is walking up to the door.

By the end of the conversation she is standing beside Damon.  “Besides, I heard Damon saying who is allowed, and you were not invited.  The other two are only because of their connection to Isobel.”

Stefan stares at her, as he bites out, “You trust Damon, but not me?” He is the good brother.  How can she not trust him and trust Damon?

Bella nods. “And how you are acting right now is the reason for it.  Go hunt, Stefan.  Take your time.  Hopefully we will be done before you are through.” She is unrelenting to his stare, and notices Damon place himself in front of her, just in case.

Elena pauses, then walks through the door, Alaric following.  Stefan tries but he is repelled from the house. The growl from him making Elena only glance back as she makes her way past Bella.

Bella shakes her head and closes the door on him, his last view is of Damon’s smirk.

Alaric and Elena look around then both jump a little as Bella walks past saying, “Follow me.”

They follow her to a huge room filled with books.  A fire is going on in the fireplace which helps warm the cold room.  They can see the desk organized with a book open as well as a laptop and another computer.

Sitting cattycorner is a leather chair with a side table and books around it.  On the table is Damon’s ever present glass of alcohol along with another open book lying next to it.

There are whiteboards scattered around the desk and chair along with some comfy looking leather chairs scattered around the room.

Bella glides into the room and slides into the chair behind the desk.  She sighs then tells them, “Look around.  The whiteboards have some interesting things on them.  When Damon comes in, we will talk.” And with that, she ignores them as she gets back to the book she is working on. Her aggravation clear, but they have no idea what she is upset on.

Alaric and Elena look at each other, but Alaric recognizes the same thing his ex-wife was.  A scholar.  The thing is, he never thought of Damon as being one. But it is obvious with the set up that Damon is helping Bella out, and if he wasn’t he wouldn’t have been in the room set up as he obviously is.

Alaric heads to the boards and is shocked to see a family tree.  On it are all the founding families, with notes on how they are related to the Original Family.  Damon’s voice comes from the front of the Library. “It’s amazing isn’t it?  The Salvatores are the latest find.”

They look at him and he is walking towards Bella with a cup in his hand that he hands her, then collapses in his seat.

Bella smiles as she drinks her tea.  Damon has been taking care of her all day.  Making sure she eats and is well hydrated.  He started the fire when she had rubbed her arms.  He is keeping up what he had told her earlier.  He wants to take care of her and he makes it seem as nothing.  She loves it.

Elena smiles as she watches Damon.  She looks back at the tree and asks softly, “What is the Gilberts relationship?” Wanting to start somewhere, and hopefully distract Bella from whatever is making her upset.

Bella looks up and informs them, “Ask Damon, he has sussed out all that.” Her eyes glow as they land on him, proud of him.

Damon grins, then moves to them. He taps the board. “Technically Elena, you have two relations to the Original Family.  It is thought that you are related to Klaus.  Elijah and he competed for Tatia’s attentions, but Klaus had won.  Esther didn’t like her and used her as part of the spell that made them all vampires.  Then after that, Klaus still didn’t give her up, she killed her to seal Klaus.  From what, we haven’t found out.  But per the laws of witchiness, there had to be a solution to break it since it was not natural.  We found mention of a child of Tatia’s and from there the Petrova line of Doppelgangers are born.” He is proud of their work, and is showing it.

Both Elena and Alaric also notice how attentive he is to Bella.  He has himself positioned in a way to be able to watch her, but also watching them.  This is new to both of them, he wasn’t this way with Elena.

Bella mentions from where she is reading, “Nature will always make sure there is one of you around.  Katherine Pierce or rather Katherine Petrova is your direct ancestor.  She had a baby out of wedlock.” And she too is watching these two with Damon.

Alaric is just amazed by the work in front of him. “This is amazing.” Not even Isobel was this organized.

Damon grins at him, “Isn’t she?”

Bella waves her hand as though it was nothing.  She frowns and curses under her breath.  She turns to the laptop and types in there, frowning and muttering as she reads the results. “No offense, Alaric, but your ex-wife needs to be shot!” The pure anger in her voice is a shock from her usual tone.

Alaric raises an eyebrow.

Damon tells him as he watches her, “Isobel had the bad habit of writing in rare books.  And often on stuff that is not in them.  It infuriates Bella.” And the smile they had seen earlier, is still there.  As well a slight look of wonder as if he is still unbelieving of what is happening.

Elena laughs. “Nice to see you are normal.”

Bella raises her head and looks at the teenager. “I am normal.”

Elena, stutters, “I mean-“

Bella shakes her head and runs her hands through her hair. “Sorry.  This is driving me nuts and everything is gaining on me.  I feel like we are running out of time, and no idea why.  There is something coming, and I can’t find out where I read it from.”

Damon moves behind her and rubs her shoulders.  “Do you remember anything about it?  Maybe we can help?”

Bella closes her eyes when he puts his hands on her. “It has to do with the Doppelganger.  I read it in the past, but discounted the words since I thought it was some of the nonsense crap I had found before.  Now it is driving me nuts!  Who would have thought all this was real?”  Her hands rub her face then she lets her shoulders fall under Damon’s hands.

Elena thinks about what she said and asks, “But that is the thing.  I have been finding out that everything is rooted in truth somewhere.  You know that since that is how you know that the Sun and Moon curse is a lie.  That makes us miles ahead of the average supernatural person.  I don’t know what you think, Bella, but to me, it is looking more and more like we need to speak with Elijah.”

Bella sighs.  “I know.  Go ahead and call him.” Her shoulders tense, and so does her muscles.  She is so not looking forward to meeting this mysterious man, but it is looking as though there is no help for it.

Damon pulls her closer to him, as Elena pulls out her phone. She hits the number and pretty much as soon as she calls, Elijah answers. “Elena, to what pleasure do I owe for this call?” His voice is pleasant and holds the old world charm to it.

Elena smiles and replies, “Hello, Elijah.  I have a new friend who would like to meet you.  Do you know where the Moutin Plantation is?”

Silence came from the phone, and then a question, “Is the person the rightful owner of the plantation?”

Elena looks up with the question in her eyes, Damon nods yes. “Yes.”

Elijah sighs. “I’ll be there momentarily.  I take it you will be there?”

Her smile grows bigger as she answers, “Yes.” She can never explain how much she enjoys being around him.  He makes her feel cherished and safe in a way that neither Salvatore brother had ever achieved.  Though she suspects from the way Damon is being around Bella, that he has made a choice.  And she is really happy about it, he deserves it. Elijah’s voice brings her back to the conversation.

“Excellent.  I look forward to seeing you shortly.” With that he hangs up.

Damon is looking at Elena, as is Bella.  But the difference is the thoughtful look on Damon’s face and Bella’s has the look as though she has been answered something she had wondered about.

Bella sighs.  “I guess another vampire will have access to my home.” She leans back on her vampire, knowing, that he will protect her.

Damon looks down at her, “I am sorry mia carissima.” And he is going to find out how he can make her home safe even when she turns.  He does not like the fact that others have permission to come in.

She laughs as she looks up at him, her feelings plain as can be in her eyes. “It’s your home too.”

Elena eyebrows lift. “Damon is living here?” Her voice is surprised. The two in front of her are moving quickly.

Damon looks at her, “Yes.  She asked, I accepted.”  His tone said not to question it.

Bella reaches her hand up and covers his. “Damon.”

He looks down and shakes his head.  He tells her softly, “You will have to invite Elijah in, I can’t as the vampire, Stella.”

She looks at the monitor on her desk and sighs. She is watching for the arrival of their guest.

He tells her softly, “I’ll be here.  Nothing can make me leave, mia carissima.  And you have the proof, your father sent you the last of it and the rest was here in the library.  You can back the claim.  What are you worried about?”

Bella looks up at him. “He is almost the ultimate ancestor.”

Elena looks up in shock, then her face softens. “You are worried what he will make of you.” She can understand that feeling.  Of knowing she will be measured up to something and not know if she will pass.

Bella nods.

Damon shakes his head, “He will think the wonderful woman you are.  And if not, who needs him?  You have your father and me.  What else does a woman want?” He keeps trying to remind her of her father, but he has gotten the idea from Bella that somehow, they have said goodbye to each other.  He is not sure why her father would do that, but when he has a chance, he will get to the bottom of it.

Alaric and Elena laugh with Bella.  “I guess with that list, I don’t need anything else.”

Damon kisses her head and tells her softly, “Showtime, stellina.” He saw the blur and sees the vampire now at the door.

The two of them leave the room as the doorbell sounds.

Alaric shakes his head as he looks at Elena, “Who would’ve thought?”

Elena breaks out of her thoughts and answers, “I did.  But I was told I was a dreamer and that Damon is no longer human at all. Obviously they were wrong.”  She turns back to the family tree in front of her and asks softly, “What else were they wrong about?”

Alaric had no answer for the young woman in front of him.

Final count, 4, 881 words.

Fairfarren~Wendy