Firework

Melt Down

We all relocated to the Salvatore Boarding house, thankfully without incident, Bonnie, Matt, Caroline and Tyler meeting us there. After taking seats in the spacious lounge we started trying to come up with a plan for the shit storm that was about to hit us (Damon's words not mine).

Stefan thought the first thing we should be concentrating on was making the house impenetrable to Cold Ones, which if a small army of them was about to attack I thought would definitely be preferable. However there we met with out first obstacle. No one actually living lived at the Boarding house.

"Easy, we just sign the house over to one of these mortals." Damon had answered waving his hand to indicate the crowd of people in the room.

"No, not easy. The person has to actually live here. At least part time." Bonnie snapped, her irritation and worry plain for all to see.

We all sat looking at each other for a moment before Stefan stood up with an awkward look on his face. "Err... Elena?"

"No chance." Jenna spoke up in a no-nonsense tone that she rarely used but was the end of a discussion when she did.

"You know I love you Stefan, but I'm not ready to live with you yet. I need to stay at my house for now. Where Jer and I grew up... with mom and dad." Elena told Stefan her eyes filled with grief and sincerity.

"Looks like you're the lucky lady then Wildcat." Damon joked turning to look at me.

"Well don't I feel special?" I said sarcastically. "And I better get that coffee brought to me every morning."

I could see the humour dancing in Damon's eyes as well as something else, giving them a twinkle that I'd never seen before but that I'd try my hardest to see again every chance I got.

"Bella? A word?" Alaric said breaking the moment and ushering me back out into the hall where the vampires and Tyler would still be able to hear us, but the humans at least wouldn't be able to.

"Bella, you can't move in with Damon!" Alaric said his voice holding stress. "You've been together a week! It's ridiculous."

"I'd only have to live here part time. There's plenty of spare rooms so I wouldn't have to share with Damon if he or I didn't want to. Plus, it's not like there's much other choice Ric. Jeremy's underage as is Matt. Elena's already said no, Bonnie's the one preforming the spell, Caroline's a vampire and Tyler is a Werewolf. So, it's either Jenna, you or me." I said, not letting out the misgivings I had about this. I'd speak to Damon about them later. After.

Alaric ran a hand through his hair and over his face, it looked like he could do with a vacation from all of this and a felt a massive amount of guilt bubble up in chest at that. Poor Ric, if only he hadn't agreed to take me in he'd wouldn't be having to go through this. None of them would. "Aargghh. Fine. Do not tell your dad about this. He'd use both us and Damon for target practice."

"Don't worry, I don't actually have a death wish." I reassured my uncle who'd done so much for me that I'd never be able to repay him.

"So, Wildcat, you want to go put your stuff away in our room?" Damon teased me as Alaric and I walked back into the lounge.

"You need to clear me out some drawers first." I just fired back with a small smile.

"This is stupid!" Elena declared jumping from her seat next to Stefan and frowning at Damon, Ric and me. "They barely know each other, they aren't even really together! And you're just letting her move in here? Stella work being a guardian there Ric."

"Elena!" Jenna reprimanded in that hard voice of hers again.

"What you didn't want me moving here but it's fine for Bella?" Elena turned her glare on her aunt this time.