Chapter 1-

"I need to get home, Stefan." I told him, grabbing my jacket and keys off the couch and heading towards the door.

"Okay, but one more thing. Like you already know Damon's… not stable right now after Rose's death and…" he paused, "Could you please be careful and make sure to lock all your windows and doors? Even if you do think of him as a friend, I just need to know you're safe in case he, so to say, 'blows up'."

I sighed and walked back over to where he was and hugged him.

"I'll be safe, no need to worry." I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him.

"I know, I just," he shrugged, "Call me when you get home."

"Will do" I said as I stepped outside and into my car. I watched the boarding house disappear in my rearview mirror as I sped down the road towards home.

"I'm home." I said to Stefan on my phone.

"Good. Sleep tight. I love you." He replied.

"I love you too." I pressed 'end' and made my way up the long, groaning stairs.

I heaved a sigh and pushed my bedroom door open. No one was home tonight. Aunt Jenna was at the Mystic Grill with Alaric and Jeremy went to some party with Bonnie at the old Lockwood property.

I kicked my shoes off and fell backwards onto my bed. I began to drift off to sleep when the door slammed shut and the window blew open, startling me. I groaned as I got up to shut the window, pushing the jumble of hair out of my face from the strong gust of wind that continually blew in from outside.

"Hello, Elena." A deep voice said from behind me.

"Damon, get out of my house. I'm tired and don't have the patience to put up with you." I turned around already expecting him to be right there behind me, which he was.

"Oh don't be like that." He ran a hand through my long, silky, light brown hair.

"Damon, this is the last time I'm going to ask you to leave before I call Stefan." I pushed his hand away from me.

When he didn't do anything I repeated myself, "Get out, Dam-!" But before I could finish his name he was kissing me. I stared stunned back at him, my lips refusing to move in sync with his. This wasn't just some peck on the lips but a full blown kiss, like the one you give after you get married.

"I love you, Elena." He said, hands cradling my faces as he stared down at me with those sapphire blue eyes.

"Damon, don't." I tried to shake my head, but his grip on me was too strong.

"Elena just listen to me please." A look of hurt washed over his face as he continued looking at me, never once breaking his icy cold, love-filled gaze on me.

"What is it, Damon?" I gave in with a sigh, falling surrender to his beauty and charm.

He dropped his hold on my face, my skin tingling with the need to have his touch.

"Elena…" he stopped then started back up after a brief pause. "Elena I've compelled you before."

I knit my eyebrows together, confused as to what he was getting at. "What do you mean? Why are you just telling me this now?" I asked.

"Do you remember when Stefan and I saved you from Elijah and…" he sighed. "Anyways, when you were in your PJs and about to go to bed, I came and gave you your necklace back, along with that I told you something very important that I made you forget."

I was still staring back at him with confusion plainly written on my face. What was he talking about?

He cleared his throat, "'I just have to say it once. You just need to hear it. I love you, Elena. And it's because I love you that I can't be selfish with you. I don't deserve you. But my brother does. God, I wish you didn't have to forget this. But you do.'"

I gaped at him, realizing that sounded oddly familiar.

"I told you this that night, and then compelled you. I needed to get it off my chest." He grabbed my hands. "And why I'm telling you this now is because I have no one else that I can love anymore, you are the only one I've ever truly loved. I needed other people's love so I wouldn't come and steal you away from Stefan. Katherine was something different. It was fake, it wasn't real. How I feel with you, It's different. Rose…I loved her but it wasn't that kind of love. It was sad seeing her go, but I can get over that. If I ever lost you, I would kill myself. Drive a stake right through my heart without blinking, because Elena I can't live without you." He leaned in to kiss my forehead.

"Damon, I" I didn't know what to say, I was at a loss for words. A tear rolled down my cheek, but before it could fall to the ground Damon wiped it away with his thumb.

"God I love you. But I have to do something you'll hate me forever for doing. It has to be done." He grabbed my face again, his touch pulsating through me. Damon then lifted a wrist to his mouth and cut into the skin.

"What are you doing?" I began to panic as he brought the wrist to my mouth and forced me to drink from it. I knew what he was doing before it happened.

"Damon, NO!" I screamed before he snapped my neck.