This story is Damon & Elena and always will be. Elena will be staying as a human until I decide otherwise.
Now, please enjoy!
She climbed out of her car and headed for the door. She knew he'd been here, he always was, unless there was something 'supernatural' going on around town, like it always was. She didn't bother to knock on the door, he probably wouldn't hear it anyway, and even if he did, he would most likely ignore it, thinking was Stefan had forgotten his key again. He was a bastard like that. But she loved him anyway.
She entered the living room and saw hi there, asleep on the couch, only this time there were no empty bottles of scotch or half full tumblers scattered around like there usually were at this time of day. She knelt down beside him and took his manly hand in hers, she leaned over and kissed his cheek before gently moving a strand of hair out of his eyes.
He was such a beautiful man, and he knew it.
"Baby, wake up." She nudged him gently.
His eyelids fluttered open, revealing the icy blue orbs beneath. No one ever had the chance to see him like this, not even his brother or his best friend. He didn't trust anyone enough to let them get this close, especially when he was in such a vulnerable state. It had taken a while until he trusted Elena enough to let her get this close.
"Hey there, did you have a nice sleep?"
He sat up and stretched like a cat, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and yawning.
"When did you get here?" He mumbled, kissing her cheek.
"Just now. I found you asleep and thought I'd wake you."
He nodded, stood and made his way into the kitchen. He flipped the coffee maker on, hoping he would be able to drink something other than blood for once, especially around Elena. Yes, she was a vampire now, but that didn't make it any easier for him, he didn't want her to see him like that.
She leaned against the door-frame, just watching him move around the room. She knew he wasn't the 'bad boy without a conscience' that their friends knew him to be, he did have a heart underneath all the male bravado, a heart that he only let Elena see. Only Elena knew this side of him, no one else. He wanted them to see him as they always did, as the one that always took chances, got things done and didn't care what others thought of him.
She moved closer to him, standing just behind and to the side. She loved to just stand there watch him, he was in his element when in the kitchen, always making things for her, things she had never tasted before, he was a regular old Chef Boyardee. It helped that he was part Italian, that's probably where the 'cooking' gene came from.
"See, I knew you could do it." She wrapped her arms around him from behind.
"Do what?"
"Be the good guy." She answered.
"Elena, you know that I will never be the good guy." He huffed.
"You are with me."
"Yeah, and that's only because I love you." He grinned, "I'm never the good guy with anyone else but you."
"I know, and I thank you for that." She smiled, kissing his cheek. "Your my Knight in shining Armour."
"You know I'd never hurt you, I would kill anyone who tries.."
"I know you will."
He had done some things that he regretted, like feeding her his blood when he thought she was going to die, well, he did that multiple times, but at least one of those times paid off. She wouldn't be here if he hadn't taken that chance on her, now would she? He regretted telling Stefan that he hoped she would die, just after the whole 'Katherine and the Tomb' thing..
But one thing he would never regret, was almost killing Stefan when he found out that he had stomped all over her heart by telling her that she meant nothing to him and that he had never loved her. He had broken almost every bone in his body to the extent that some of them might not heal properly, if at all. He had drained him to the point where he couldn't think, speak or move. He had also snapped his neck, so that when he did wake up, he would be an unbearable amount of pain.
And he would do that same thing to anyone that ever thought of hurting her. She was his and he was her's, they were soul mates in the most true form. Nobody would ever be able to tear them apart, and anyone who tried, would face a fate worse that death. She was his to protect and no one, especially not Stefan, would take her away from him. Not now and not ever.
"I know. You could go on an all night bender-slash-killing spree.."
"I don't have anything coming up, I'll have to check my calendar." He smirked, trying to make light of the conversation.
She rolled her eyes and continued. "-.. and I would still love you, because that's just who you are."
"And you love me for it." It was meant to be a statement but came out as a question.
"Damon, you know I love you. Since the moment I first saw you, I just didn't know how to deal with those feelings."
"Well, all of that is over and done with now."
"Yes, it is. But that doesn't mean there won't be anything else.."
"At least you can protect yourself now." He said. "Not that won't.."
"We'll protect each other." She kissed him again, on the lips this time..