Chocolate. Chocolate and...sandalwood? No it was more like chocolate and a spicy aroma…like old spice dipped in chocolate…and leather. Chocolate and spice and leather and...mmmm it smelled so good I could barely concentrate on anything other than the smell it felt like I was swimming in. In fact, I couldn't concentrate on anything else because I couldn't see anything else…it was all black. Was I dreaming? As I became more and more aware, I fully pulled myself out of the deep sleep I was engulfed in. Ugh why was my head pounding? I opened my eyes and found that I had fallen asleep in some car, my head resting against one of the leather seats. But as I looked up, I realized it was not a seat that I had been drooling on, but a leather jacket. A leather jacket that unmistakably belonged to Damon Salvatore. The same Damon Salvatore that was looking at me with horror and disgust.

"If you didn't know this 600 dollar jacket is not waterproof…and I'm thinking that applies to drool as well," Damon said with a look of undisguised disdain. I actually had to force myself not to groan in annoyance. Wait a minute…what the hell was I doing in a car drooling on Damon's prized leather jacket?

I sat up straight and started frantically looking around, out the windows for anything familiar. There was some grass, a lot of fields, a lot of cows, more grass, and then a sign…"Welcome to Georgia? Damon what the hell are we doing in Georgia? And how did I get here? What is going---" I managed to bite out before Damon slapped a hand over my mouth.

"I think the most important question here," he said, fully turning to me, "is why you don't have more becoming hygiene. I mean really, my dear Elena, drooling? Hardly an attractive habit." He didn't even try to hide the infamous smirk that tugged at his mouth as his cerulean eyes sparkled at me.

I was trying really hard not to lose it. I don't think I have ever given someone a more pungent and cutting evil eye.

"If looks could kill…" Damon mumbled, chuckling lowly when my face started to turn beet red with anger.

"Damon I am not going to ask you again. The last thing I remember is crashing my car and hitting that man…or thing…" I turned to look at him questioningly. "His legs and arms, they just snapped back into place! And then he started coming towards me and…and…you! You…saved me." I spoke in a hurried rush trying to remember everything clearly.

"Thanks for that little summary I definitely needed it considering I wasn't there or anything…," Damon said with the usual eye roll. I responded with a huff and eye roll of my own.

"Yes, yes I saved you. I have a pretty good feeling that that "thing" you were referring to was a vampire. Apparently there's someone new in town. But don't worry you'll be safe here with me," He said with a lascivious waggle of his eyebrows. Typical.

"Doesn't that get exhausting? Coming up with such clever remarks to everything I say?" I said sarcastically, hoping he got the point. He just flashed me that grin that simultaneously frightens you and turns you on. Ew I did not just think that. I glanced sideways at him to see that his grin had widened even more. Jesus, was mindreading among his vampire abilities now?

"So if you don't mind me asking, what possible reason did you have for driving recklessly at that ungodly hour?" Damon asked me, turning to me to show that he wanted an answer.

"Actually I do mind you asking." I said as I crossed my arms and moved as far away from him as possible, squishing myself against the opposite side of the car. I glanced out the window and once again remembered the issue at hand. "Damon! Seriously, why the hell are we in Georgia?" I almost yelled, throwing my hands up.

"Hey hey I just saved your ass I think I should get a little credit for that. Chill with all the screaming you're giving me a headache," he rumbled, that characteristic sarcastic twinge always coloring his tone. I just crossed my arms and stared at him, adamant that he was going to answer me. He just laughed when he saw my stance. God he could really piss me off.

"Fine fine fine, I was actually on my way to Georgia already, to visit an…old friend, when I stumbled across you and your damsel in distress act. As soon as I saved the day you passed out. Seeing how I couldn't just leave you there and there was no way I was delivering you back to Saint Stefan's lair, I decided you could come with," he explained, winking at me as he finished.

"Damon you can't just do this! Take me somewhere without my consent! Jenna and…my friends will be worried they'll want to know where I am!" I said, raising my voice, exasperated already.

"Hmmm, am I imagining things or was Saint Stefan deliberately left out of that sentence?" Damon asked turning to look at me and widening his eyes. I just offered an annoyed ugh and turned away. "Ahhh, interesting! Come on dish, you know how I love to gossip about our little brooder," he turned to me expectantly.

I can't believe I'm actually contemplating telling him this! I am so immature. The problems Stefan and I have are between us and it should stay that way. But I had no idea what to think anymore. That picture…that was Katherine? Is that what he saw when he looked at me? Just a second rate replacement that would do until he could get her back? I knew that wasn't entirely true but just the thought of it stung just as badly. Was this the entire reason our relationship started? Had he even really seen me for me or was I just someone he could pretend with? I could feel my despair growing and growing the more I thought about it. Just the thought that the man I loved only saw me as a stand in was beyond gutting.

I was abruptly pulled out of my thoughts when Damon theatrically made a loud snoring sound, slumped in his seat with his eyes closed…while he was driving! What the hell was wrong with him? "Damon!" I yelled while slapping him on the arm. Of course he made a show of whining and rubbing his bicep, both of us knowing full well it didn't hurt him one bit.

"Ow, Elena! Stop you're hurting me!" He whined as a slapped him again, unable to control my frustration at his annoying antics and my even more gnawing thoughts. "Oh I get it so this is the cause of the fight between you and Saint Stefan! You're becoming abusive!" He said in mock horror, breaking into a hearty laugh when I practically growled. I forcefully sat back in my seat and huffed.

"Come on come on," Damon said almost whining now, shaking me, "Tell me what happened! Now I'm dying to know. You're obviously pissed," He said fighting a smile. And failing.

I contemplated this for a second, knowing that it was the wrong thing to do but suddenly not caring. "Fine! But I swear on everything that is holy, Damon, if you tell Stefan any of this I will kill you slowly and painfully." His eyes twinkled with amusement as I attempted to threaten him.

"I'm serious Damon. I'm trusting you here." I said, dead serious. He looked at me, and for a fraction of a second something unfathomable flashed behind his icy eyes, but just as quickly it was gone, the sarcastic gaze firmly in place once again.

"Yeah yeah yeah," he drawled. "Just get on with it. Spill," He said, smirking now that he knew I was going to give in.

I took a deep breath, figuring out how to proceed. "Well…I went to the boarding house last night, to see Stefan. When I got there…I…well I told him I loved him," I said suddenly feeling awkward. Damon made a show of gagging while I wisely ignored him. "And then…well…we you know…" I started to say before he cut me off.

"Whoa whoa whoa! Officially TMI! I am not one of your little girlfriends, I want to hear about the fighting and that is it," He said quickly, his brows drawing down as he shook his head at me.

I squinted at him, attempting to show my annoyance, before I continued. "Fine! Well I found this picture he had on his desk. It was a picture of Katherine. Damon, why did no one tell me that I look exactly like her? I mean how do I know that all of his feelings for me are real? How do I know that anything in our relationship is real? I feel so betrayed I don't even know what to think anymore," I finished, realizing I had shared more of my feelings than I had intended. "Not that I would expect you to know anything about that," I said for good measure.

His grasp on the steering wheel tightened for only a second, but I was still shocked to see this crack in his calm and always collected exterior. He spared a sideways scathing glance at me, whispering "I know a few things," under his breath so quietly I wasn't sure if I'd heard him. But once again, he quickly gathered himself and adopted his usual relaxed demeanor.

Suddenly he turned to look at me, his usually mocking face now drawn and serious. It took me by such surprise that I was frozen in his gaze, waiting for him to speak. "Look. There's no way in hell that I am trying to stand up for Stefan here, but the truth is that you could not be any more different than Katherine. You both are such opposites that though you may look alike," he said, raising his brows, "you could never even begin to be mistaken for Katherine. Not even close. I don't know if Stefan pursued you at first because you looked like Katherine, but even if he did, once he got to know you he must have found that you and Katherine couldn't be more different. I know I did," he finished quietly.

I knew that I should have been, well, almost insulted at his serious refusal that I am anything like Katherine, considering how he loved and adored her. But the way his eyes bored into me while he said every word made me think that it wasn't an insult. I didn't feel jilted, I felt…reassured. He must have seen my looking at him curiously because just as quickly as his wall came down, just as quickly it went back up.

"But wow, well, well, well Saint Stefan has gotten a little messy!" He said suddenly, feigning surprise. "What an idiot, leaving that out for you to see."

"Damon, that isn't the point. I just, I felt like our entire relationship was based on a lie," I said, surprised to find that I was fighting back tears, despite Damon's, dare I say, kind words. What the hell was wrong with me?

"Ah come on don't start the water works on me. I can't deal with all this girl shit anymore," he said, obviously doing damage control for the heartfelt words he said just a few minutes ago. There was no way Damon was going to let me see too far into his soft side. His constant backtracking was starting to royally piss me off.

"Just forget it I don't want to talk about this anymore. I want to go home," I said angrily, pouting as I stared out the window.

"No you don't. If you went home you would just spend hours moping and writing in that little diary of yours. What you really want to do," Damon said as we pulled into a dive-y looking bar in Nowheresville, Georgia, "is just let loose and have some fun!" Damon said, winking at me. "Come on! Just have some fun for once in your boring existence!" He said enthusiastically.

"Hey! I have fun all the time…I used to really know how to have fun…" I said, reminiscing for a second about times when things seemed so much easier. Before my parents died, before things got so hard, before I had a brooding vampire consuming most of my time…" I thought.

"Oh well let's bring it back dear Elena," Damon said, widening his aqua eyes as he turned towards me. "You know, let your hair down, dance a little, maybe take your clothes off…" He said, waggling his eyebrows once again.

"Ugh!" I groaned as I once again swatted him on the back of the head. It felt good, even if it had no effect. But I couldn't help that smile that was fighting against my lips. As completely aggravating as he was, he could be entertaining from time to time. But there was no way in hell I was even going to tell him that. His ego was gargantuan enough as it was. Once again he was staring at me with a wide smirk, seemingly knowing what I was thinking.

In a flash, Damon parked the car, raced around to my side, and yanked me out of the car, effectively slamming me against his chest, stunned. "So what do you say, Elena? Ready to leave the Saint behind and come over to the dark side?" He whispered, dangerously close to my face. I was momentarily stunned into silence, his penetrating eyes so close, engulfing me. Before I realized it I was leaning forward, never breaking his icy azure gaze. I could feel his sweet breath on my face, that same smell as before, chocolate and spice. I felt his hands slide down to rest on my waist, but I still couldn't tear my eyes away. He seemed to be thinking about something very intensely, an internal battle raging behind his serene eyes. And just like that, I stumbled forward; almost face planting into the pavement. Damon had zoomed away in a millisecond, now standing at the door to the bar, holding it open and beckoning for me to go through with his hand. I stared at him for a moment, bewildered, as he started to chuckle.

He was such a little ass. But as I watched him standing there laughing, looking as if he never had a care in the world, I couldn't help but think that Damon Salvatore was the perfect person to help me forget my seemingly endless problems and just have fun with…His eyes sparkled as he kept my gaze, that smirk widening once again. Well, only for one night…

*A few hours later..............*

"Another Ta Keell Yaaaa please!" I slurred, leaning across the bar and attempting to signal the bartender. I kept saying Ta Keel Ya ever since Damon called Tequila that. It was so funny! Oh god, my head was starting to spin. I definitely had too much to drink already. Damon seemed to be doing pretty well too though. He had knocked back about twice as many shots as me and was still only about half as drunk. But considering how drunk I was feeling, that was still pretty wasted.

Damon put his hand around my waist and pulled me back, as I was leaning precariously far over the bar, probably about to face plant. I guess he pulled a little too hard because I fell back and almost slammed my ass on the floor, but I gripped Damon's arm just before I embarrassed myself even more than I already had. I saw the attractive bartender, aka Damon's "friend" give me a not so subtle eye roll.

I leaned heavily on Damon, practically draped across his lap, as I whispered in his ear in a sing song voice, "I don't think your little…um…friend likes me too much," I slurred as I sharply nodded to her. Once again earning me another eye roll from her. I was barely aware of Damon's arm wrapping tightly around my waist in my drunken state. But I did notice how I could feel every crevice and definition in his strong muscle as it wrapped around my torso…that felt…nice. Alright drunken Elena seriously needed to get herself under control.

Damon put his lips right up against my ear, "I'm sure you'll grow on her…you're definitely growing on me…" he slurred, almost as drunk as I was not, after consuming an obscene amount of liquor. I pulled back to glare at him, but he kept me firmly pressed against his chest, and I had to put my hands on his shoulders for balance. He moved so that we were face to face, only centimeters apart. My immediate reaction was to push him away and tell him to piss off. But the way he was looking at me…that's just it. He was just looking at me. He was staring into my eyes as if I was the most fascinating thing he'd ever seen. His cerulean orbs were so penetrating, I couldn't bring myself to look away. His lips were only a breath away from mine…I would only have to lean forward the tiniest bit…

Some drunken asshole fell off his stool, effectively banging against the floor loudly and breaking me out of my trance. I suddenly realized what I was doing. What was wrong with me? This had to stop. I was with Stefan. Yeah we were having…problems, but that didn't mean I could do anything I wanted all of the sudden. Especially with Damon. I abruptly pulled back, pushing away from his chest and sitting back down at the bar. Deep breaths I kept thinking, deep breaths. I could see in my periphery that Damon was still staring at me with that look. I couldn't figure out what it was. But as soon as I turned to him, I saw the wall go right back up, that infamous smirk warming his eyes.

"Another shot?" he asked casually leaning up against the bar. I only nodded, hoping to tear my thoughts away from whatever was going on between me and Damon. Before I knew it, three more shots were lined up in front of both of us.

"Okay Damon, after this, I gotta stopppp," I barely was able to slur out, knowing that I was already way past my limit. I don't think I had ever been that drunk. We both gulped down the first two shots, but right as a grabbed for the last one, Damon caught my hand, stopping me. He had that sparkle in his eyes…again.

"Might as well make the last one a doozy," he said, chuckling softly as I knit my brows together, trying to understand what he meant. Before I had any idea what was going on, I was laying on my back on the bar staring up at the ceiling. Damon had flipped me up onto the counter before I could blink. "Mmmm, body shot?" he drawled out lazily as he pushed my shirt up to reveal my stomach.

"Damon, stop!" I objected weakly, knowing that I shouldn't be doing this. Stop, stop, stop, my mind kept chanting, but I couldn't bring myself to move. I allowed my eyes to flutter closed as I just relaxed…just for one minute. And suddenly I felt a sensation, hot, wet, drawing in a circle around my stomach. I gasped at the sensation, realizing that Damon was drawing his tongue over my stomach as he leaned over the bar. I leaned my head up, watching him, mesmerized as he drew tiny lazy strokes over my stomach, his pink tongue darting out briefly. His azure eyes flashed up to meet mine, holding my gaze as his tongue darted out again. I almost had to bite back a moan, it felt so…good. He pulled back and sprinkled salt over the damp areas, only to draw a languid lick over the salt as he once again kept eye contact with me. I shouldn't be letting this happen, I kept thinking, but I couldn't bring myself to care. He quickly bit into the lime as he rested the shot on my stomach. I just watched him, entranced. He winked as he leaned down and took the shot, his tongue swirling deliciously over the sensitive skin of my abdomen. Apparently we had an audience, as the surrounding bar goers hooted and hollered when he was done.

In what could only be described as a typical Damon move, he lifted me off the bar, drawing both of us down into an elaborate bow. I could help but laugh as we sat back down. Never a dull moment with this one. I noticed Damon looking over my shoulder, something behind me catching his eye, and apparently making him angry. "Be right back…" he said slowly as he got up and disappeared around the corner to the back of the bar. That was weird. But I didn't give it anymore thought in my alcohol induced haze.

Suddenly, I felt someone sit down beside me. "How you doing," a foul breathed whisper came way too close to my ear. I turned and came face to face with some drunken trailer park urchin, leaning over the to stare into my face, way too far into my comfort zone.

"Not so well. Sorry," I said dismissively as I turned away. I almost gagged as I felt a heavy arm come to rest a little too low around my waist.

"Oh come on, sweetie, live a little," the urchin said, once again breathing wetly into my ear as he attempted to pull me closer. I tried to shove him away but that only made his drunken attempts more driven.

"Seriously, asshole get off--" I started to say when the urchin was abruptly pulled away from me, the weight of his arm disappearing from my shoulders. I turned to see Damon holding the urchin off the ground, only a couple of inches away from his face. The look in his now blackened eyes even scared me.

"Sorry pal. Taken," He said through gritted teeth as he released the urchin, leaving him to stumble back. The look in Damon's eyes was murderous, his pupils dilated.

"Yeah whatever," Urchin tried to say in his best nonchalant tone, but I could practically see the fear rolling off of him in waves. Damon was staring after him, looking like he wanted to rip his arms off.

I stood and quickly walked over to him, putting my hands on his shoulders. "Damon come on, calm down. It's nothing." His eyes slowly turned back from the murderous black to the usual icy cerulean blue.

I started to feel really dizzy at that point, starting to sway back and forth. I leaned on Damon for support more heavily. "Ohhhh too much Tequila," I groaned as I put my hand to my head. Damon wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me along with him as we started to exit the bar.

"Alright alright enough, we're going to get a hotel," he said, starting to come more into his senses and out of the drunken stupor as he pulled Elena along.

"What! No I am not going to sleep with you in some hotel!" I said, not liking the idea of having to sleep in the same room with him. He turned to look at me exasperatedly.

"Alright, I will go find a nice, comfortable hotel to sleep in and you can pass out on the pavement in this parking lot," He said with a sickeningly sweet smile. Oh that was starting to get annoying. It was amazing how I could go from having an amazing time to relentlessly annoyed in five seconds flat when I was around Damon.

"Fine." I said resolutely as I sat down, rather unceremoniously, on the hard gravel. "Owwww," I moaned lowly as I rubbed my tailbone. Damon only rolled his eyes. Once again, with no warning, he leaned down and scooped me up, throwing me over his shoulder and starting to walk down the street.

"Damon! Let me down! Now!" I yelped as I banged on his back with my fists, my head starting to spin even more, now that I was inverted.

"Hey hey it was your own doing. There was no way I was going to just let you pass out in the parking lot so you could turn into another Natalee Holloway. Uh uh don't think so," He rambled on as I stopped pounding, realizing it was getting me nowhere. "There's a hotel right down the street here so you're just going to deal until we get there. Plus I'm fairly sure you can't walk on your own," he snickered as I groaned.

I allowed my eyes to flutter closed as Damon carried me. And soon, everything went black and I was just swimming in chocolate, sandalwood, and spice again.