Moving Forward ~1

First Day of the New Year

I'm just warning you this will be a semi sad chapter.

Elena insists that we get trained by Alaric on how to defend ourselves. She is hell-bent on not being defenseless again and the only way she can have power is by getting physically strong. "Sofia get up!"

"Elena do we have to do this so early?"

"I thought you were the one who loved an early morning jog?"

"That was before I lost all ability to have a decent night of sleep. Now there are no morning jogs just more sleep while I await the torture of my alarm clock."

"Come on we need this."

"No, you need this. I have magic to help me."

"You need to know how to defend yourself."

"I know basic."

"Against a vampire?"

"Okay, fine maybe not a vampire but..." I feel her still staring and I flip over. "I'll go as moral support nothing more."

"You'll outrun me so that should make you feel good."

"Elena we're both slow runners it shouldn't make either of us feel good."

"You ran all the time I thought you..."

"Elena, I woke up early because I knew it would take me almost 20 minutes to run a mile. I'm a slow ass runner."

"Come on we have to make sure Rick is ready."

"How are you feeling?" I ask pointing to her neck.

"I'm fine."

"Hey, I had to ice my neck all night after Klaus practically strangled me numerous times."

"Damon could have..."

"Damon and I aren't speaking to one another."

"And why not?"

"He took a road trip with Katherine of all people. He was pissed that I stopped him from killing Caroline's dad. He thinks I want to change him but I don't."

"Then what do you want to do?"

"I want him to love himself. He won't admit it but he doesn't like the things he's done and he hides behind his anger and impulsive behavior so no one else can see he's hurting."

"if anyone can make him see what is going on it's you."

"Elena."

"Yeah."

"This could be bad timing but I need to know. Do you have feelings for Damon?"

"Why would you ask that?"

"I'm not blind Elena. I see how you two act with one another."

"He's being nice."

"No, I know what Damon being nice is and then I know what it is when he cares for someone."

"Sof, there's nothing going on between me and Damon. He was just there for me when I thought we lost Stefan. He made..."

"Elena, I don't need to hear what he made you feel."

"Sof..."

"No, I see the way he looks at you. It's the way he's always looked at you."

"He looks at you the same way."

"There's a look of love and there's a look of I will drop everything for you I will make the world go round for you."

"Sofia, I don't know what to tell you."