The Other Side

A Talk

"Damon!" I wake with a start and I go downstairs. At first I think it's Elena, then I remember it's Tatia. "What's going on?" She turns her head away, and that's when I see it- a heart on the wall. I rip the note off.

"I did this to your daughter, I could easily do this to you. Give Tatia back or else." I look at her. "You need to go back. For now."

"What?"

"Tatia. You need to go back. I will not risk anymore of my family for this." She nods then heads upstairs. I go into the kitchen and I grab a cup of coffee.

We moved back to Mystic Falls since we got all the things needed for the sacrifice. I head upstairs and I change into a black button up and my iconic leather jacket, then I head out to the grill. I sit at the bar and I order a bourbon. A guy next to me starts laughing. Old fellow. "Is something funny that I didn't catch?" I ask. He scoots next to me. "A man that looks like you do is alone in a bar drinking bourbon. Who is she?" I look over at him. He's smiling at me. "She?"

"The girl. Back in my day I was flirting with all the ladies. Didn't find my Beth until my thirties." I look down at the amber liquid. "She's the love of my life." He chuckles. "Why are you moping, then?"

"Because I've lost her. And now I'm trying desperately to keep it together while trying to get her back." He sighs. "I'm seventy years old, young man. You look to be only 25 or so. Why focus on this one girl?"

"You have your Beth, right?"

"Correct."

"Well, Elena is my Beth." I take out the picture of her from my wallet. "Ah. She's a beautiful girl." I nod a little. "Did you go looking for her?"

"No. Why?"

"Son, love finds you, you don't find love. It has something to do with fate, destiny. All that stuff they feed you. It took a long time for me to find my wife. And an even longer time to realize that I wanted her. So I say to you this. She's someone you love like crazy. I bet she loves you the same way. That's what falling head over heels is."

"I'm obsessed with her." He laughs. "What's your name, kid?"

"Damon."

"Well Damon, you also need to know this; love is passionate. An obsession. Loving someone is not being able to live without that person."

"I've loved a lot of women." He sighs. "I kissed a lot of women before I found my wife. When did you two first kiss?" I think about it. "It was the night after her homecoming."

"How did you feel?"

"My brother had just left us. But when I kissed her, it was like the whole world faded away. Like all the problems faded away because she was the solution." He nods. "It was like the first kiss." I nod. "Do you have any kids?"

"One," I lie. "A son. Sam."

"How old is he?"

"Seven." He nods. "How old was she when she got pregnant. Do the math, Damon. "Sixteen."

"And you were?"

"Eighteen." He nods. "So she was in high school when the two of you met?"

"Yup." I down the glass of bourbon. "So. What happened between you two?"

"Something just died between us. But I can't live without her. I can't love another woman the way I love her." He claps me on the shoulder.

"Well then, son. You have to fight for her. You have to know that you want her. You have to want to live for her, not with her. You have to want to die when you're 110 in her arms. Not 48 non-interrupted hours. A lifetime." I look over at him and he nods.

"Thank you." I slap three 20's on the bar when Ari comes in. She leans into my ear. "We're ready." We run out out of the grill and I think about what the old man said, that I didn't find love. It found me. Elena and I met by chance. But it wasn't chance. It was destiny, fate. Falling for her was like falling off a cliff and she was there to catch me.

It was like a first kiss.

I smile to myself as we drive to the witch house. He was right. Love is passionate and it's an obsession. She is my obsession.

As we enter the house and prepare, I know one thing for sure.

I'm more in love with Elena then I ever thought I was.

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Hey y'all!

So I'm sorry this is a little shorter but... DRUMROLL PLEASE!!!

(Casually pretends there's a drumroll)

GUESS WHICH TWO DOPPELGÄNGERS AND TWO YOUNG VAMPIRES ARE COMING BACK NEXT CHAPTER?!?

Well, I'm pretty sure you can guess unless you're clueless, so I'll see you guys then!!!

Signing off ;)