Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries. If I did, Bonnie would get a good night's sleep every night on a luxurious memory foam mattress, wearing silk pajamas. She deserves so much.

Notes: Hey! So this is an experimental one-shot. I'm not great at first-person perspective, and to be honest I have very little in common with Elena Gilbert, which makes it a bit hard to get into her head. If this was any other character, it would be easier, but who doesn't like a challenge! I apologize that it is rough!

I seriously don't want to get out of bed today. It's only the second week of school, and it's already exhausting balancing senior-year responsibilities and vampire drama. I was up until 3am last night with Bonnie and Alaric trying to figure out if there was a way we could put a protection spell around the school to keep everyone safe before Klaus came back to town, but I can't read Latin, so I just sat there pretending to be useful.

I don't even have the energy to straighten my hair today, but I can't go out with these bags under my eyes. I didn't even go outside enough this summer for me to need to buy darker concealer. This is honestly hopeless, there's no way I can hide these before I head to school. I better save the energy for tomorrow, it is picture day after all, I have to at least pull it together and look decent for that. I wish I wasn't so distracted, my senior picture should be fun, it should be a good memory. Now it just feels like one more box I need to tick to keep up the illusion of actually going to high school.

I don't even know why I came in today. My first period is Bio, and I always fall asleep. It's way too easy and definitely too early. Second period is Russian, and call it a benefit of being a Petrova, but Russian just came easily for me. After lunch was math and english, with just history with Alaric after that. I made sure to have as easy of a schedule as possible, all standard classes, so that when things get crazier, and they will, I don't accidentally fail high school. Regardless, I was here, I was in my desk, and I at least put enough effort in to open my Biology book and hand in my homework at the beginning of class.

**rinnnggg**

I just woke up in a puddle of drool on my desk. Honestly, why do Damon and Stefan fight over me. I'm gross. Time to shuffle to Russian, and fall asleep again. I've completely given up on trying to be a student today.

"Hello, earth to Elena? Can you see me past those bags under your eyes? " I really do not need this from Caroline today. Not everyone could be so polished. Vampires don't get eye bags anyway.

"Oh Caroline I'm sorry, why don't I just go drain the blood bank and pop right back to my perky self- Oh wait, that's not me, that's you"

Caroline is clearly about to flash her fangs at me right now.

"Elena, Caroline, cut it out. But seriously Elena, I'm in your Russian class, I heard you snoring"

"Bonnie, you were up as late as I was, how are you not so tired"

"Well ever since I started doing magic more, I started taking my health more seriously. Lots of water, kale-"

"Special energy spells?" Caroline chirped. Bonnie's usually kind eyes are now shooting daggers.

"Bonnie, no amount of kale, coffee or magic could make me be less tired today. I think it's the Klaus nightmares. Even when I sleep I'm still tired" There is no way I'm making it through the rest of the day.

Honestly, somehow math might be less tiring than listening to Caroline talk about picture day and homecoming during lunch. The homework assignment was already posted on the board, so I might as well work on the homework during class so I can go to bed earlier.

"Elena Gilbert to the front office"

The loud intercom jolted me awake. I guess my plan to do homework failed. It's only 5 minutes into class and I'm already falling asleep?

"Elena, did you hear the intercom, you've been called to the front office."

I threw my things into my backpack and walked down to the office. I was greeted with the back of a black pair of jeans bending over the desk scribbling something on the sign-out sheet.

"Hello Elena." Damon purred. "I heard your teacher Mr. Saltzman sent you to the nurse today. Naturally, he had them call me, your guardian, to pick you up and take you home to rest" Clearly Damon compelled the office assistant to believe he was my guardian.

He raised the back of his hand to my forehead "Oh, you are burning hot, lets get you to bed" Unashamed, he winked at me. Honestly, he was so gross, that I could throw up.

As if he could sense that I was not on board with him abducting me and compelling people, once we were out of sight he put his arm around me and gripped me tight.

"Elena, don't pretend you didn't want to get out of there"

"Why did you come get me Damon."

"What? Afraid you'll miss out on sporadic naps and Caroline's rambling?"

"No seriously Damon, aren't you afraid of looking suspicious? Have you completely given up?"

"Look Elena. Alaric told me how late you were up with Bonnie last night. Stefan told me you were falling asleep in Biology this morning."

"Stefan is in my bio class?"

"Exactly. You've been in school one week and you're already a wreck. I'm going to take you home, make you drink some….. water and go to sleep"

He made me change into pajamas. At his house.

"Tell me why we couldn't go to my house again?"

You're safer here. There's nobody to take care of you there. Jeremy is going to stay with Tyler and Jenna was planning on staying with Alaric tonight. Plus, I have blackout curtains, it's darker than a tomb in here. Don't worry princess, you're in good hands."

"Does Stefan know you picked me up?" Things haven't been great with Stefan and I lately, but there's no way he would be ok with this.

"Actually Elena, he asked me to. Maybe he thought we could bond or something" He winked at me. Again. Second time today.

"Where did you get these pajamas anyway? Do you just have women's pajamas… laying around?"

"I went ahead and got some things for you a while ago. I figured you'd end up staying here eventually"

That was, actually really thoughtful. Why hadn't Stefan thought of that? I walked to the bathroom mirror to brush my hair, noticing that I now have a huge stress pimple right above my eyebrow. Just in time for picture day. I'm too tired to deal with this right now.

"That is an incredible guest bathroom, I can't imagine what yours looks like" Seriously, there was a gorgeous stone shower the size of a small bedroom, and a standalone-marble soaking tub. Hooks on the wall had plush robes, probably Turkish cotton.

"That is my bathroom. This is my bedroom. We don't exactly have guests often, so only two of the bedrooms are effectively furnished right now. That reminds me, I should have someone fix up one of those for you. "La mia casa è la tua casa mia tesoro"

Was that Italian? Oh right, Salvatore- he probably learned from his family. For some reason, hearing those soft words roll off his tongue made me feel a little lightheaded. Was I blushing?

"Now Elena, do you want to get the best sleep of your life? "

I mean his bed was really soft, but that wouldn't make a huge difference.

"Damon I am too exhausted for any innuendo"

Instead he bit his arm, drawing some blood out into a small cup. That was not what I expected. "No Elena, not an innuendo. This will fix any of your physical symptoms of exhaustion. Don't worry about becoming a vampire, that's the other reason why you're here. I'll make sure you don't die or something. Plus, if you get any Klaus nightmares, I can get in your mind and fix it"

"Absolutely not, don't you just have Nyquil or something?"

"It will get rid of that pimple on your forehead for picture day tomorrow"

As annoying as that sing-song voice was, he was right, I really don't want to have a terrible senior picture haunt me forever.

I grabbed the cup and gulped it down. He was right, it was the best sleep of my life.