puppy love } { of swallowed cellphones and moving forward

[braveandstupid]

Elena: [and she is waiting in the patient room, Damon sitting on the table, tongue lolling out at her like the happy puppy he is and she glares (mockingly) at him] Don't give me that look. I'm not happy with you right now.

Scott: [and he has only been working at this vet for a few months since he passed his boards and can now be a doctor! of vet care. So he will walk in, reading the clipboard a moment] Hello, I'm Dr. McCall. [and he will look up at Elena and smile]

Elena: [looks up and returns the smile] Hi. I'm Elena. This is Damon. [and Damon turns his doggy smile on Scott] He swallowed my cell phone.

Scott: Well, Damon, that is not a good way to get Mommy's undivided attention. How long ago did he swallow it?

Elena: Twenty minutes? This isn't the first time he's done it, so I pretty much rushed him here.

Scott: Okay, let me take him in the back for a quick X-Ray [said as he's doing a quick health assessment check] And if it's not out of his stomach yet we can get it out without surgery.

Elena: [she nods and crosses her arms in front of her chest] Do you know any ... electronic safe deterrents that I might be able to put on it? I mean, he used to chew my shoes when he was a puppy - I almost kind of wish he would go back to that.

Scott: Well, the problem is that things like that tend to rub off on whatever the phone touches, including your hand and clothing.

Elena: [sighs rubbing her forehead] Right. I just ... wish I knew why he was doing this, beyond trying to live up to his namesake and constantly complicate my life.

Scott: Most of the time it's because they feel that they are losing your attention to it.

Elena: [she gives Damon a bit of a look, leaning down so she's at eye level with her dog] I don't think it's my phone he has the issue with. I think it's my job, and he knows I can't leave the house without it. [Damon whines softly, before tipping his head up and licking her nose, which makes her nose wrinkle and Elena laugh]

Scott: [laughs] Well, either way he does love his mother, even if he is a troublemaker.

Elena: Yes, that I never doubted.

Scott: Well, we will be right back. Just hang out here a moment.

Elena: [nods and goes to run a hand over the top of her dog's head gently] Be good for Dr. McCall, okay? He's gonna make you feel better.

Scott: [and he's going to take Damon to the back, get an x-ray, and seeing where the phone is he's going to give Damon a quick spoonful of something that will make him barf that phone right back up. He will quickly clean it up and put it in a baggie for her, and then bring Damon and the phone back] And we have separation of dog and phone.

Elena: [obviously relieved] Thank you so much. Is he gonna be okay?

Scott: Oh yeah. You're going to just want to make sure he drinks enough water for the next few days. Don't be alarmed if he regurgitates a bit more over the next few hours, but if it continues until the next day or there's blood in it, bring him back.

Elena: Will do. [and she'll reach for his leash and go over to rub Damon's back] C'mon, buddy. Let's go home.

Scott: Oh, Mrs. Gilbert?

Elena: Ms. Gilbert. [A beat] Elena is fine.

Scott: Sorry. Elena. Do you have a phone number I can call you on tomorrow to check on Damon. One that won't force you to put that one to your ear until you have it professionally cleaned?

Elena: [she laughs, before nodding] Yeah, I have a work phone. I'll write it down for you.

Scott: Perfect. [and he will pull out his business card and quickly write on the back of it]

Elena: [and she will add that number to the paperwork so that he can call her]

Scott: [and he will hand her his card] And here's my cell phone. In case we're closed, call me. Normally we don't do house calls but I have a feeling Damon doesn't keep his mischief to working hours all the time.

Elena: No, he does not. [she takes the card from him with a small smile] Thank you. You've been great, really.

Scott: Thanks. It was nice to meet you.

Elena: Nice meeting you too. [and with that, she and Damon will head home where she will baby him the rest of the night and cuddle him on the couch. which is more than he deserves, but she loves her giant fluffy baby]

Scott: [and the next day he will pull up Damon's records and go to call Elena]

Elena: [and she will have taken Damon for a walk to the park, and will be sitting under a tree when she answers] Hello?

Scott: Hello, this is Doctor McCall calling for Elena Gilbert.

Elena: Hi, Dr. McCall. How're you?

Scott: I'm doing well, thank you. How are you today Miss... Elena.

Elena: [and that makes her smile] I'm good. And Damon is doing great. He's in the dog park making friends right now.

Scott: Good. I'm glad to hear that. No bad after effects?

Elena: Nope. He's always been a tough boy though, so I'm not surprised.

Scott: Does that also take after his namesake?

Elena: A little, yeah.

Scott: So does your sibling know you named the dog after him?

Elena: Ex-boyfriend, actually. And yes, he does. He was less than pleased, but the name just fit so well.

Scott: Oh. [laughs] Well, i guess that as long as Damon the dog likes his name, then he's good.

Elena: He does. He's the happiest dog I know.

Scott: He did seem pretty happy.

Elena: Contrary to the fact that he's been to the vet multiple times for swallowing my cell phone, I really do try to take good care of him.

Scott: Oh, that reminds me. I believe I found something that will help you with that problem.

Elena: Really? That would be amazing.

Scott: I'm actually about to end my shift in an hour. Would you be free to grab a cup of coffee?

Elena: Sure. Just let me know when and where.

Scott: [and he will tell her the mom and pop shop near the vet]

Elena: Okay. I will be there. Thank you.

Scott: See you then. [and two hours later he will be there waiting]

Elena: [and she will drop Damon back off at her apartment with Matt before making her way to the cafe to meet Scott]

Scott: [and he will smile as she walks in] Elena. [and he will wave so she can see him]

Elena: [and she'll smile and make her way over to meet him] Hey.

Scott: I wasn't sure what you would want so I waited.

Elena: I appreciate that. [and she goes to sit] I'm very particular about my coffee.

Scott: Yeah, I'm not really picky. I grew up in a household where the blacker it was, the better.

Elena: [she laughs] Coffee became a necessary evil in high school, but I have to fix it just the way I like it.

Scott: Well, I won't say a thing. [and the waitress comes to get their order]

Elena: [and she orders her very specific coffee, and waits for him to do the same, before resting her chin in her hand] So I am very anxious to hear this suggestion. I'm a bit at my wits end with this.

Scott: Well, it actually isn't something new. It's actually something old. [and he will pull out a phone case he found at the mall that night]

Elena: [her eyebrows go up a bit] A phone case?

Scott: Not just any phone case. [and he will show her the strap] First, you can keep this on your wrist so you don't have to put the phone down when doing things between calls. Then, it's waterproof so that if he does swallow it, your phone won't get damaged. But it's also made from a natural fiber that looks and feels like plastic, but it's actually plant based, and dogs do not like the taste of it.

Elena: [listens to each of those items before her eyes close and her shoulders sag with relief] You are a lifesaver.

Scott: Now of course there is the small chance that Damon may just be weird and like the taste, but hopefully he won't.

Elena: [laughs] I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Scott: So enjoy. [and he gives it to her]

Elena: [nods as she takes it from him] Thank you, really. It means a lot.

Scott: You're more than welcome. I'm really only thinking about Damon's health here. [grins]

Elena: [she laughs] Of course you are.

Scott: So, I'm actually still new in town. I moved out here when my best friend graduated college and decided to make a career here.

Elena: Same here! Sort of. I mean, my best friend got a job here too, but I also got a job here. I work at the Library of Congress.

Scott: That's nice. Though I don't see the library being very dog friendly.

Elena: It is not. But Matt's schedule matches up pretty well with mine in terms of someone being there with him most of the time. He's very well house broken though. Fortunately that is not the kind of trouble he decides to give me.

Scott: [Matt is a common name so Scott's not going to connect any dots] Well, you should be glad of that. Those kinds of troubles are all training based.

Elena: Yep. We worked very hard. [Damon had been a good thing to focus on after she woke up from the box, which is what Stefan had hoped for. which is probably why he's as spoiled for her time the way he is] Do you have a dog?

Scott: No. There's four of us in the loft, but none of our schedules sync enough to make sure someone will be home to take care of them.

Elena: That's a shame. But at least you have people you're living with so you're not here all on your own.

Scott: That's true. Though sometimes I wish it was just me and Stiles. I don't mind the girls, but it's kinda difficult not to trip over each other.

Elena: Maybe you need a bigger place.

Scott: In DC? Probably not going to happen.

Elena: You could always move slightly out of DC?

Scott: We could, but i don't think Stiles will. Between his job and some other stuff... he's probably sticking close to the Georgetown area.

Elena: [she nods] Well, hopefully you'll get used to things? Or the girls will get a place of their own.

Scott: I guess we'll see. It's a nice place though.

Elena: Sounds like you got lucky.

Scott: Yeah, I guess you can say that. [rubs the back of his neck]

Elena: [she nods a bit as their coffees arrive] Well, I could always use more friends in town. Right now it's pretty much Matt and a few work friends. Everyone else is back in Mystic Falls.

Scott: I know the feeling. Mine are all back in Beacon Hills. I know more dogs in town than I know humans. [smiles]

Elena: [smiles in return] Is Beacon Hills far?

Scott: Other side of the country. California.

Elena: Oh wow. You must miss your family a lot.

Scott: My mom, yeah. She's a nurse out there, and she wanted me to get out of town and find my own path. So of course I just followed my friend instead. [laughs]

Elena: [she laughs] Hey, there's nothing wrong with that. I can't imagine anything worse than being on my own. If Matt hadn't asked me to come with him to DC, I probably would be on the road, trying to find my brother right now.

Scott: You don't know where your brother is?

Elena: He moves around a lot. So right now all I really know is "somewhere in Montana"? [a beat as she reaches for her coffee] If I was actually trying to find him I would be able to get more specifics, but with what he's doing sometimes it's better for me to not know too many details.

Scott: ... You make it sound like he's a member of the league of assassins. [laughs]

Elena: [she laughs again] No, nothing that serious. [well, sort of like that but she's not going to try and explain "vampire hunter" to Scott right now] We talk all the time, though, even if we don't see each other as much.

Scott: Oh, Oh! That’s good then. I thought he disappeared and you were hunting him down. [because he has contacts who can help with things like that]

Elena: Oh, no, nothing like that. He just got out of Mystic Falls way before I did.

Scott: Oh, okay.

Elena: [she nods again, before shaking her head] Sorry. I kind of killed the vibe there by being confusing, didn't I?

Scott: If it makes you feel any better, I get confused easily.

Elena: A little bit, yeah. [she smiles] And to be entirely fair to you, my life in Mystic Falls was kind of confusing.

Scott: I have a feeling that's the kind of talk to have over alcohol, and not coffee.

Elena: [she nods] Lots and lots of alcohol, definitely.

Scott: Would I be stretching my luck then to ask you on a date which can lead to that alcohol?

Elena: [she's not surprised, because she thought he might be going there, but she still hesitates because the last date she went on was Damon Salvatore and ... the mess that came after was something she was worried about repeating. It seems like her romantic choices just can't seem to end well, and she doesn't want to do that to Scott - he seems like a nice guy. But in the end, she knows she's going to have to move on eventually, so she takes a deep breath and she nods] Yeah. That would be nice.

Scott: [and his smile just beams into that Puppy McCall grin] Really? Great! I mean um... yeah, that's good. [nope, still smiling]

Elena: [and the grin stretches wider across her face, because that reaction alone may have been worth it] Fair warning, because I work at one of the largest tourist attractions in DC my weekends actually come in the middle of the week? But let me know when you're free and I can make it work.

Scott: Hey, most people work and can't get their little darlings to the vet until the weekends. As the new doctor in town, I get the weekend shifts so they can go play tourist. [smiles]

Elena: [she laughs] Then that works out perfectly.

Scott: [he will pull up his phone] I'm free next Wednesday and Thursday.

Elena: I'm off Tuesday and Wednesday, so we can do Wednesday afternoon?

Scott: That's perfect. We can text during the week and figure out a place to meet and a time then?

Elena: Sounds good. Let me give you my personal cell because I'll have a replacement for my phone by tonight.

Scott: [and he will go in and edit the contact number as she gives it to him]

Elena: [she nods as she finishes her coffee, before pulling off the sleeve and handing it to him so that he can write his down for her] Just so I know who you are when you text.

Scott: Sure. [because like he remembers that he gave it to her already. This is Scott]

Elena: [yes, but the intent there was to just get her fingers to brush his enough to gauge his body heat. You know, making sure he's not a vampire before she starts down that road again. Sure, he could have poor circulation, but she's been with enough vampires to know the difference] Thanks.

Scott: [sneaky sneaky. But alas, he is clueless. And 100% human] No problem. I'm really looking forward to this.

Elena: [and that is a bit of a relief as her smile widens] Me too. And I should get home and save Matt from Damon. But I'll see you Wednesday?

Scott: Yup, see you Wednesday. [and he will get up when she does, taking their bill to pay as she heads out because he is totally a gentleman. His mother would kick his butt if he was anything but]

Elena: [which is really sweet and she appreciates it, and she's going to go home and collapse on her couch and shout into the ether when Matt doesn't come out right away] I just got asked out on a date.

Matt: [from where he is rough-housing with Damon] Did you throw holy water on him first? [teasing]

Elena: [totally offended face as she gets up to go find him] Holy water doesn't work on vampires and you know it.

Matt: Yes, I know. I was teasing you. [and he will be abandoned as Damon sees his mommy and goes off to her. He stands up and wipes the dog hair off his knees] Still, want me to run a background check?

Elena: I think I can handle one date without needing to know everything about him before he can tell me. [she crouches down to give Damon some hello scritches before looking up at Matt again] But if that changes, I will let you know.

Matt: If you're sure. [he promised Jeremy he would watch over her, after all]

Elena: I am positive. [she glances up with a small smile] But I appreciate the offer.

Matt: Do I get to know any details at all?

Elena: [she nods as she straightens a bit] His name is Scott. He just moved here, and he may be the vet took Damon to see yesterday?

Matt: [chuckles] Well, that's a nice perk for the next time you lose your cell phone.

Elena: [laughs before she brightens a bit] Oh! He gave me a fix for that. [she goes back out to her purse to find the phone case that Scott gave her and she pulls it out before holding it out in front of Damon] What do you think, buddy?

Damon: [OMG IT'S THE TOY and he goes to lick it and EWWWW! he will shake his head and then rub his paw at his mouth because the taste is bad why won't it go away!]

Elena: And we have a winner. [she pets the back of his head sympathetically] C'mon buddy, I'll get you some water to wash that out.

Damon: [why would you do this to me moooooooom?!]

Matt: Well what do you know. Think you can get me one that doesn't look like it belongs to a Kardashian?

Elena: I will ask him where he found it when I get my phone back.

Matt: Cool. Well, if you're done for the day, I'm going to head to the gym for a bit. [or work to see what Lloyd wants him to play with now]

Elena: [she nods] I'm good. Bring back dinner when you're done?

Matt: Sure. What do you want?

Elena: [considers for a moment before shrugging] Surprise me.

Matt: [laughs] Oh, I'm sure I can. Just remember you said it. [and he will head out]

Elena: [smirks as she watches him go before settling in for a day of TV and snuggling with her dog]

Matt: [and insert a few hours of work and he will come home with takeout from their local Mexican restaurant] Hope you like tacos because apparently Taco Tuesday is a real thing.

Elena: Tacos sound awesome. [she grins as she gets up] I'll grab the plates.

Matt: Can you grab me a beer too?

Elena: You got it. [and she will return with two beers and two plates] Have fun at the gym?

Matt: Fun is a relative term, especially with the company I had.

Elena: [her eyebrows go up] That bad?

Matt: Just dealing with Stilinski again. Everything with him is like a race.

Elena: I think I remember you and Tyler being the same way before you became best friends.

Matt: Yeah, well that was Tyler and before we knew why he was that way half the time.

Elena: Okay, but my point is, having someone to drive you isn't a bad thing. Just don't let him get too into your head.

Matt: Yeah, I'll try. I'm just glad he's not my partner. We'd probably end up killing each other.

Elena: I am glad for that too. How're things working out with your actual partner?

Matt: She's actually damn good at her job. She has that kind of laser eye focus that reminds me of Caroline when she was planning a party.

Elena: Then I'm glad she's using her powers for good.

Matt: Same here. She's really passionate about it too. [leans back with his beer] I was actually thinking of inviting her over one night for dinner so that you two can meet. Since you both could use some new friends.

Elena: Yeah, definitely. Just let me know when and I'll be here.

Matt: I'll aim for one of your days off so you can relax.

Elena: Just not Wednesday because that's my date with Scott.

Matt: Not Wednesday.

Elena: Good.