Disclaimer: Not my characters, obviously. Just playing in their world for a while.

Author's note: This bit of Christmas fluff popped into my head, and I couldn't resist sharing it with you. Enjoy! ;)

Elena sighed as she stared out the window, the scenery zipping by as Damon hit the gas. She was an idiot, no doubt about it. When she'd gone to the boarding house to see him, she'd had every intention of embracing her new carpe diem attitude. No time like the present and all that. Stepping up to the front door after gaping in amazement at the rebuilt Camaro in the driveway (Stefan had certainly been busy), she'd taken a moment to admire the festive sprig of greenery over the entryway. She'd knocked and waited, excitement and nervousness making her shift back and forth from one foot to the other. When Damon had opened the way, she'd given him what she hoped was a flirty smile while commenting on his holiday spirit.

Mistletoe. Clever.

His answering grin had awakened the butterflies in her belly, and she'd leaned in, confident in her intentions. She was going to kiss him. On the lips. Right here, right now. No more waiting. Yes, she was going to kiss him . . .

On the cheek.

Damon had looked surprised when she'd changed course at the last second, but he'd schooled his expression well. Only a flicker of disappointment had flashed over his handsome features before he'd shaken it off and invited her in.

God, she was such a wuss.

As he'd promised on the phone, he began the preparations for dinner while she'd scoured the wine cellar for an appropriate vintage. She'd returned to the kitchen just in time to watch him deliver two plates of fettuccine alfredo to the table. Between mouthfuls of creamy pasta goodness, they'd discussed their respective crappy days: Ric had called Damon a dick. Again. Kai now had enough power to make all of their brains explode. Simultaneously. They were both worried about Bonnie and wished she wasn't alone on Christmas. Goddamn Kai.

When Elena had broken the news about Sheriff Forbes, Damon had dropped his fork. Picked it up again. Slowly. Drained his glass of wine. They'd find a way to save her, too, he'd said. They had to.

After dinner, awkward silence had descended while Elena continued to mentally berate herself for being a coward. Damon had rescued her from her thoughts by suggesting they go for a ride in the car. He'd been itching to take it for a spin ever since Stefan had brought it home. Plus, with the spell gone from Mystic Falls, they could actually re-enter the town without, you know, dying.

She'd agreed, relieved that he wasn't eager to be rid of her after the stunt she'd pulled earlier. She'd assured herself that it would give her some time to build back up her courage.

Ha. Easier said than done.

As she sat in the passenger seat and listened to the rumble of the engine, she knew Damon's eyes were on the road, but every so often she could feel them drift over to her. She knotted her fingers together and shivered despite the heat blasting out of the vents. Even without her memories, it was absurd how much of an effect this man had on her.

Elena took in the sights and sounds of the season as they passed the town square. A group of carolers gathered around an enormous Christmas tree while a crowd of onlookers carrying cups of hot cocoa in their gloved hands stopped to listen. Church bells rang out, announcing the hour. A brightly lit sign on the front of the Grill announced its grand reopening, and another tremor ran through Elena as she remembered what Damon had told her about being in the car with him when he'd triggered the explosion that had destroyed a large part of the building. And killed them both. Details, details.

Damon finally broke the silence, tilting his head in the direction of the bar. "I'm glad to see my favorite haunt will be back up and running. I should probably write them a check or something considering I'm the one who wrecked the joint," he muttered.

Elena laughed despite the eeriness of the situation. "I'm sure your bar tab will be enough to cover the cost of the repairs."

"Are you saying I'm an alcoholic?" he teased, his smirk visible in the light from a nearby streetlamp.

"Have you met you? There's enough booze stored at your house to supply several liquor stores. Possibly an entire chain of them."

"Fair enough," he chuckled.

They drove on, leaving the cheerful town behind and heading out into the quiet countryside. After they'd gone several miles without Damon showing any signs of getting ready to turn around, her curiosity got the best of her. "Where are we going?"

"Not sure. I don't really have a destination in mind. Why? Do you need to get back?" he asked.

"No, it's fine."

Eventually, the houses thinned out and all that surrounded them were empty fields and the occasional barn. Elena glanced up ahead and noticed that they were about to enter a wooded area. As thick stands of trees rose up on either side of them, she realized the car was slowing down. When it came to a stop on the side of the road and Damon cut the engine with a twist of the keys, she turned to him and cocked a brow. "Why did you stop? There's nothing here."

"That's not entirely true." He hopped out and came over to her side of the car. Opening the door with a flourish, he held out his hand. "C'mon."

Tucking her hand in his, she pulled her coat tighter around her as a gust of wind kicked up the dead leaves scattered on the ground. The night was unusually cold, and she stayed close to Damon as they walked down a narrow dirt road that split the forest in half.

"Normally, I'd drive through here, but it's pretty muddy and if the car had gotten stuck, Stefan would've kicked my ass."

"True." Her fingers intertwined with Damon's and she held on tightly as they strolled along the darkened path, dodging puddles and fallen logs. The sorry excuse for a road dead-ended in a small clearing that was probably used for parking in the summer months. Damon took a few steps further and then stopped, curling an arm around her waist when she would have continued on.

"You might want to stay here." When she gave him a confused look, he gestured toward the glossy black surface in front of them. "Look closer."

She did as he asked, mouth opening in surprise when she saw that it wasn't solid ground as she'd originally assumed. They were at the edge of a pond, she noted, eyeing the quaint little bridge partially hidden by the trees. The water was completely still, and a thin layer of ice had formed over the shallow areas.

Damon tugged on her arm, leading her along the shoreline. "There's a path up here that leads to one of the docks."

Letting him guide her, she trailed after him as he made his way over the uneven walkway. When they were finally standing on the sturdy wooden planks of the dock, she turned in a slow circle, taking in her surroundings. There was something familiar about their location. The thought continued to niggle at her brain until realization struck. "I know this place," she whispered.

Damon was right behind her, and his breath ruffled her hair when he spoke. "No stars tonight, unfortunately. Too cloudy."

She spun around to face him, her wide eyes searching his calm blue ones. "When I stepped over the border and the memories started to come back, I saw the two of us in this exact spot. It had started to rain, but you wouldn't tell me what really happened after that. I know you lied to me that night after the fundraiser, Damon. It wouldn't have been your favorite memory of us if all we'd done was go home. What part did you leave out?"

He ducked his head briefly before he glanced back up at her and nodded. "You're right. We didn't go home. You were determined to wait it out, positive that it would clear up and we'd be able to see the meteor shower. Needless to say, it only rained harder, but we made the best of a missed opportunity." He blinked, then rubbed his eye as if there were something in it.

"We just stood there in the rain?"

"We kissed. Got soaked in the process, but it was definitely worth it." He paused as he picked what looked to be a piece of white fuzz out of her hair. "Hmm. Apparently, Mother Nature has a sense of humor."

He held out his arm and she watched as small flakes drifted down and settled on his coat, a stark contrast to the black leather.

"Snow," she breathed, lifting her face to the sky. A giggle slipped out as more flakes landed on her eyelashes, cheeks, and nose. She felt like a kid again as she remembered the carefree days of her youth. "Ever try catching them on your tongue?"

Damon's eyes heated, and she got the distinct impression that he was imagining doing other things with his tongue. He smiled as he flicked a large snowflake off the tip of her nose. "No, but don't let that stop you," he said, encouraging her to give it a shot.

She started to let her head fall back when she recalled what she had hidden in her pocket. "Actually, I have a better idea." Reaching into her coat, she grabbed the sprig of mistletoe and raised it up for him to see.

"Clever," he said, echoing her earlier assessment of his decorating skills. "Did you swipe that off the front door, by any chance?"

"Just a piece," she confessed sheepishly.

"And what do you plan on doing with it?" he asked, moving closer and making her pulse quicken.

This is it. No backing down now. "This. Consider it a do-over." Sliding one hand behind his neck and holding the mistletoe aloft with the other, she leaned in and brushed her lips lightly over his. She teased him some more with her barely there kiss, enjoying the softness of his mouth. Feeling bold, she traced the seam of his lips with her tongue and was rewarded when he opened to her. Deepening the kiss, she thrilled at the moan that escaped him as his fingers tunneled into her hair.

The snow continued to fall around them, covering their hair and clothes and the dock beneath their feet until everything looked like it had been dusted with powdered sugar.

Pulling back, Elena cradled Damon's face in her hands and smoothed her thumb over his bottom lip, which was slightly swollen from her attentions. "Merry Christmas, Damon."

He caught her wandering thumb between his teeth and gave it a gentle nip before tucking her against him. She rested her head on his shoulder and savored the closeness she'd been missing. She felt at home in more ways than one, and she burrowed deeper into Damon's embrace as he pressed a kiss to her temple and whispered in her ear. "Merry Christmas, 'Lena."