A/N: This oneshot was inspired by dashboard confessional's 'the secret's in the telling'. Like summery says, it's about damon and elena handling stefan coming back. this is basically done, but i might write more chapters if i get inspired. enjoy!

"I still can't believe you came back" Elena said.

Stefan hugged her tighter, kissed her forehead and said "seeing is believing…I can't believe I stayed away so long. I missed you so much. And I was so afraid you wouldn't forgive me when I did come back.. "

"well, all of that's over now. And now that Klaus is dead we can just focus on being happy."

Elena smiled and kissed him and her hands started roaming under his shirt.

"About that..." he started. "It's still kind of hard for me to be so close to you, I've been feeding on human blood for too long."

"Umm..that's okay I guess. I mean, I won't lie I am a little disappointed about this, but it's not worth the risk. Besides, we've waited so long now, a few extra days won't kill us." Elena answered.

"You are amazing, you know that? I love you so much. I can't believe how understanding you are."

Elena just kissed him in response, and then said "Well, if I'm not gonna get any tonight, I'm gonna go."

Stefan frowned at her. She giggled. "Just kidding. But seriously, I gotta go…I got a really early class tomorrow. So I'll see you then. "

Elena kissed him and then started walking out of the room. "Goodnight beautiful."

"Goodnight Stefan."

XXXXXX

Elena walked to her car feeling elated, when she heard someone clear their throat behind her.

"So, how's loverboy? Are you two back in heaven yet?"

Elena froze as she felt a short stab of heartache.

She turned around to look at Damon, his lips smiling, but his ridiculously blue eyes saying something else completely.

"Umm…I guess he's not completely himself yet, but he is working on it and he's going to be good."

"Good, good. I figured you might not stay tonight, it has been a long time for Stefan on blood again."

"Yeah…so I gotta go, early class tomorrow."

"Right….nothing more important than your education."

Damon smiled. Elena thought that was the saddest smile she's seen in her life. All of a sudden she had this overwhelming urge to close the distance between them and hug him. Damn him and his unbelievably expressive eyes. Instead she just said "So, I'll see you around."

"Yeah, see ya. Goodnight"

"Night, Damon."

XXXXXXXX

Elena left the shower, feeling as confused as she did when she entered it.

On the one hand, she finally got what she wanted. Stefan was back, and despite ominous forecasts, he was fighting his vampire side and doing pretty well. She should be walking on sunshine. And then…there was Damon. Damon, with his hauntingly beautiful eyes, and his world's saddest smile. She hated the thought that she was causing him pain. She also hated the fact that she felt the need to protect him. And most of all, she was bothered by the nagging question that just wouldn't leave her mind- what if Stefan took a little longer?

There was no denying; before Stefan returned she and Damon were on the fast track to becoming a couple. All the signs were there- Late night texting, private jokes, shameless innuendos, embarrassing looks into each other's eyes followed by awkward silences, using any excuse to touch each other, the works.

And now Stefan was back, and that was great. But she couldn't just erase everything that's happened over the past months with Damon. He had become a huge part of her life now, and she wasn't sure if she could let him go.

She entered her room, and she wasn't sure if she was happy or sad to see who was in there. She shut the door behind her before she started "Damon, what are you-" he cut her off before she could finish the sentence.

"I know this is bad, but I had to come here Elena, I just had to. I have to know. Am I crazy? Were all the past months in my head? Was there really nothing happening between us?"

Elena didn't answer. She looked at him. He was a mess, all disheveled. He'd obviously been drinking, and was obviously in some internal war with himself. Finally, she said "no".

"No what? No there was nothing happening or no I'm not crazy?"

"No, you're not crazy."

"Then how can you do this, Elena? How do you just turn everything off, just jump right back to the way it was, ignoring everything that's happened in the way?"

"What choice do I have?"

"What do you mean? You can choose whatever you want. It's us Salvatore brothers that have to live with your decision. As usual."

"I love him, Damon. We've been together for a long time before this mess. And even if that weren't the case, I can't choose whatever I want. Stefan needs me. He willingly sent himself to hell for you, and then made an incredible effort to returne for me. I can't just tell him 'well thanks for everything, but while you were saving your brother's life he and I were getting busy so we no longer require your services.' So yeah, this is hard for me too, and I care about you deeply, but there isn't a choice as far as I'm concerned."

"Care deeply, huh? You are such a coward Elena. Even now you can't admit your feelings."

"What good would it do?"

"What good does repressing them do? They're there, Elena. Whether you say them out loud or not."

"I love you Damon. There. Does that make you feel better somehow? Does that change anything?"

"It changes somethings." And then Damon closed the distance between them and kissed her.

He expected her to push him away, he waited for her to back up or slap him or at least get angry and start screaming, but to his surprise, she just kissed him back. Once he realized she was kissing him back, he smiled faintly against her lips before sucking her bottom lip, and tracing her lips with his tongue.

Eventually she pulled away and gasped for air. She leaned her forehead against his closing her eyes and asked "What are we doing?"

"What comes naturally." He told her and claimed her lips again.

Elena knew this was bad and she needed to stop it but she couldn't find the will power inside of her to push him away. Instead, she found herself pulling him closer, running her fingers through his hair, enjoying the sensations to an extent she didn't know possible. This must be what people mean when they say some things are worth waiting for.

Elena broke away for air again, but Damon kept his arms locked tight around her waist not letting her back away. As if she was going to, she thought sadly to herself.

"seriously Damon. We can't be doing this."

"I don't know about you, but I feel like I can't not do this."

"I know." She said, letting out a sigh."Nevertheless, we can't do this."

"Tell me you don't want to. Tell me and I'll leave."

"Come on Damon. You know I want to. But you also know as well as me that this can't happen. We owe that to Stefan."

"I think we owe doing this to ourselves. Just one night. Just so we'd know what it's like. So we don't have to wonder forever. So we have something to hold onto. Maybe even something to look forward at.."

"Damon.." Elena sighed as she detached herself from him and set exasperated on the bed. There was a short silence between them, until Damon finally broke it.

"You know what? You're right Elena. I was being selfish. I'm sorry. I'm gonna go." He leant down to kiss her cheek and whispered goodnight, and then turned his back to her and started walking towards the window.

"Damon, wait!" Elena suddenly jumped to her feet and crossed the room. She jumped into his arms and kissed him again. She however, was not gentle like him. She gave it everything she had, pouring all of her confusion and pain and guilt and desire into the kiss. And he reciprocated. At this point, they knew were this was going. Words were no longer necessary. Damon backed her up until her knees hit the bed. Elena sat down, pulling him with her, never breaking the kiss. Her hands slid under his shirt, feeling his sculpted abs until she found the hem of the shirt and pulled it off throwing it aside. Damon soon mimicked her actions and soon her shirt was discarded too. Elena backed up the bed until her head was resting on the pillow and Damon climbed on top of her kissing her lips, her neck, stomach...

It wasn't long until all clothes were thrown on the floor at the foot of the bed and they were lying next to each other, panting.

"This was.." Elena started

"Perfect." Damon finished. "Let's not ruin the moment by stating the obvious."

Elena nodded in agreement. "I love you."She said.

"I love you too. Always remember that." She nodded again.

Damon leaned in for another kiss that ignited a new fire.

After they made love again, this time slowly, trying to memorize every detail, the lied entwined in each other staring at the ceiling both very aware of the fact that this was the last time they were going to be together like that. Trying to etch every detail in their memories.

When the sun rose Damon got up, kissed Elena's cheek, and left out the window.