One and Only

Chapter Twenty Four

-One and Only- Chapter Twenty Four

Elena's P.O.V.

It's funny how your past can quickly catch up with you. How the mention of a person's name that hurt you can send you into a tailspin of emotions and you feel them all over again like a speeding train about to derail on the tracks.

I didn't want to talk about it..I know..One step forward and like fourteen steps back in my attempt at repairing my relationship with Stefan. But, I just couldn't say much else after he told me that Lexi wants me to testify. So, instead of talking about it more in depth with him, I sent him to Target to go school shopping with Sam and Olivia. So, that I could lay here on the bed and try to focus, try to stay calm about the impending court date that could put Matt away forever...Which I want..I really do. Yet, my feelings are so messed up that when I close my eyes all that comes out of my mouth is a prayer.

I know that I haven't been a great person lately and my choices have really not been the best. But, please God..Please help me in this and give me the strength to move past him...To move on with my family that you gave me. A family that I don't want to ruin with my nonsense insecurities and my fears...Thank you for bringing him back to me...Thank you for bringing him home to me and the kids...They really need their dad.

I'm rambling at the end of it, trying to fit in all the things that I haven't said a prayer about in a while. But, as I lay my head down on the pillow in our bedroom. I exhale deeply and know exactly what I need to do..I need to call her and tell her everything, I need to channel this fear that I have and focus it on putting Matt away for everything he's done to me. So, I slowly get up from the bed and grab my cell phone. I know that we're not really supposed to call anyone with it, only use it for emergencies- that was the instructions. But, I can't talk to Stefan about this. He doesn't know everything that happened to me and I'd like to keep it that way, for as long as I can.

My hands fumble with dialing the number as I hold the cell phone up to my ear and listen closely to the ringing. Once..Twice..."Hello?" She answers, just when I take a long drawn out breath before I respond.

"Hi. Lexi...It's Elena Salvatore and I was hoping to meet with you...I wanted to talk about the upcoming trial of Matt Donovan..But, I want this to stay between us and I want you help me figure out how I'm going to testify against him." I disclose, hearing as she exhales deeply, almost sounding like she's writing something down.

"Hi Elena..Uh, okay. Let's meet at the coffee shop on Main and 78th St. There is a Starbucks on the corner of the plaza building. I actually have your files with me and I can be there in an hour. Can you meet me then?" She asks, a nervousness in her tone as I nod my head, agreeing to meet with her. Silently hoping that I can stomach anything at the coffee shop, once Lexi and I sit down and the memories of my five year relationship with Matt come at me with full force and each of them hit me hard..Everything that I've been trying to run from..Everything I'm still ashamed of, everything that haunts me.

"May 26th, 2009. The second time you called the police." Lexi states, flipping open the file in front of her and sliding it across the table, my hands briefly letting go of the warm coffee in them as I flip over the paper and suddenly, the memories of that night come flooding back...

"Open the damn door, Elena! I will bust it down if you don't open the door now!"He shouts at me. My face is bleeding, the cut on lip won't stop gushing blood and I can feel the crimson liquid slip into my mouth as I slide down against the wall of the bathroom and cry.

I'm thankful that Caroline took the kids for the weekend, thankful that they don't need to see this. But, I'm terrified of what Matt will do. He's been drinking all day, something about having a really hard day at work and losing two people that he had saved from a fire at a townhouse. I know it's hard for him. I know it is..But, I need to get out of here..I don't to be his punching bag anymore...I don't need this life for me or my children. Because, the day that I lost Stefan, I never thought that I would be losing part of myself as well...That part of me that used to be strong.