Reckless Love (Elena & Damon)

15 - Fourth

I indulged too deeply in our fireworks. And then I got burnt.

Independence Day used to be one of Elena's favourite holidays.

When she was younger, her and her family would always host a 4th of July barbeque for their closest friends. Of course, Caroline and Bonnie's families were always invited, along with Matt's family and multiple other families from Mystic Falls. With the summer sun blaring down on them, they would all eat in the backyard and wait for the sun to set, so they could watch the fireworks light up the night sky. Some of Elena's happiest memories were from the 4th of July, but when her parents passed away, that all changed.

Elena tried to make the first 4th after her parents passing just like the old times. Her and her brother, Jeremy bought all the food and with the help of their Aunt Jenna, got the food on the table for all their friends. But everything was so, extremely, different. No one was laughing like they used to, no one was reminiscing about how wonderful all their past Independence Day's were because now all that brought was pain.

After that day, Elena all but decided to give up on the holiday. It didn't feel worth it anymore, not without her parents. And Jeremy quickly lost interest in the holiday too. In fact, he lost interest in a lot of things that had to do with family.

For the remaining years that she was in Mystic Falls for, she celebrated it very low-key. There was no longer the annual barbeque at the Gilbert's, the Forbes took over and Elena would only attend for a few hours, always leaving before the fireworks.

When she moved to New York City, she would spend the 4th of July in a random bar, watching the fireworks on T.V. Bonnie and Caroline adapted into this lifestyle too, as they knew how much Elena struggled with the holiday and knew they had to be there for her. In their second year of living in New York, Bonnie and Caroline convinced Elena to go back to Mystic Falls for the weekend after the 4th of July, and because it wasn't on the actual day, she agreed.

And now that was the tradition. The three of them, and Matt too, would return home in the days after Independence Day for a barbeque at Carolines, after spending the actual 4th in some dive bar. But now, Caroline wanted to change the tradition again.

Stefan had invited all of them down to the Hampton's yet again. It seemed like all Elena did these days was go to and from the Hampton's, and almost every time, she didn't want to. Especially not this time.

It had been a couple weeks since the dinner at Damon's, and Elena and Damon hadn't spoken. This was also a very repetitive aspect of Elena's life. Falling out with Damon, them not speaking, and then being forced to see him in the Hampton's. She knew it would be awkward, she knew she would regret going, and she knew she would get hurt.

But she also knew that nothing could hurt her more then spending the 4th of July alone, forced to reminisce about the times when her parents were alive and the holiday was a happy one. Bonnie was going to the Hampton's, and was finally going to introduce everyone to Enzo. Obviously Caroline and Stefan would be there too. And Matt was working. In her mind there was no choice but to go to the Hampton's, no matter how awful it would be.

'Elena, they're here!' Caroline screeched from the kitchen, waking Elena up from her light nap on one of the sunbeds on the back patio.

Elena had driven up the the Hampton's earlier in the day, arriving to a house with only Caroline and Stefan in it. She had expected Damon to already be there, as he usually drives up with Stefan, so all the bracing she had done to see him when he arrived had been for nothing. And now, Elena didn't know just who they were, but found herself eagerly following Caroline through the house to the front door.