Dear Readers: Picture one winter solstice night a wild untamed wind howls, swirling masses of snow falling, a break in the clouds as a full moon peeks through making everything glitter in a silver light, then the shadow of the sun eclipsing the full moon eventually turning it into a blood red ball. This story was inspired by the Tran Siberian Orchestra's "Christmas Eve Sarajevo' which came on and tickled my muse making me write this story.

Wishing all my fellow Damon and Elena lovers HAPPY WINTER SOLSTICE, YULE, MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

And a New Year filled with more and more Damon/Elena bonding moments.[/i]

Disclaimer: None of it is mine; it all belongs to the extremely talented L.J. Smith

This story is a combination of the books especially Shadow Souls with a little bit of the TV series thrown in.

[u][b]WINTER SOLSTICE – a one shot Damon and Elena Christmas story[/b][/u]

The wind shrieked wildly as the snow swirled in an ever-dancing mass of blinding white. One lone dark figure fought his way through it, oblivious to the cold, his soul raging as wild and out of control as the burgeoning storm surrounding him. His non-beating heart felt frozen in a painful lump. He stopped for a moment resting his head against the cold trunk of a bare tree as he fought back the tears that threatened. Why was it tonight of all nights that the pain and memories of his life as a human came back to haunt him with such force. Was it the winter solstice, the longest night of the year when the veil between the living and dead were at their thinnest or was it because of the lunar eclipse that last occurred on a winter solstice hundreds of years before he was born in to his last human life? He didn't have the answer. All he knew was that this night was agony.

He had gone to the grill to meet Alaric to discuss the werewolf Tyler and the possibility of more werewolves. After he shared a drink with Alaric - she walked in. Elena. His non-beating heart had clenched painfully. With her hair gleaming in the Christmas lights, she was so beautiful, there was a light inside of her that made his soul sing, assuming he actually had one, after all weren't vampires supposed to be soulless. He swallowed heavily as his brother came up behind her put his arm around her waist. She lent back and looked smiling into his eyes. Damon closed his eyes for a moment to block out the pain. He and Elena had shared many wonderful moments and at times he almost believed she really did care for him while they had been trying to find Stefan. But the moment Stefan was back she had focused on nurturing him back to health. It was his fault that Stefan still looked so pale and gaunt. His actions had led to him being imprisoned.

A comforting hand suddenly settled on his shoulder causing him to flinch momentarily. Alaric didn't say a word but Damon didn't mistake the sympathy he saw reflected in his eyes. He shook off the hand, "I'm fine, my eyes are just sensitive to all the bright lights from this ridiculous holiday."

Alaric sighed and took another swig of his beer while watching his girlfriend Meredith playing pool with Bonnie. Damon couldn't help another glance over at Elena. For a moment he wished a creature such as Santa really did exist. If there were vampires and werewolves and witches why couldn't there be a jolly old elf that would grant him just one Christmas with Elena. One perfect Christmas was all he had ever wanted. His mother had left just after he was born, then Stefan's mother had died before their first Christmas and somehow every Christmas after that his father had managed to be in a drunken range took his misery out on his oldest son. There had been one Christmas with Katherine but as he knew now it hadn't been real as it had been Stefan she had wanted all along, not him. And now her look-alike too was in love with Stefan while he looked on wistfully.

"Damon?" He snapped out of his dark thoughts to see Alaric looking worried. "Are you all right, man?"

Damon flashed a lighting fast smile "Fine – just thinking about what could have been a great Christmas a long time ago!' Again his eyes lit on Elena and Stefan. Now they were kissing. A white hot pain seared through his heart with more force than any wooden stake ever could. He turned to Alaric and snapped, "So are we done, do you have anything else to report?'

Alaric shook his head. "What's going on with you tonight?"

"Nothing a night with some Tri Delts can't fix."

Alaric glanced at Elena. "You've got it bad."

Damon's eyes narrowed. "You don't know what you are talking about." He responded n clipped tones.

Alaric shrugged. "Fine have it your way but you do know that cares about you as much as she does for Stefan."

Damon froze for a moment glancing back at her. "No, she doesn't and she never will. Stefan deserves her much more than I do."

Alaric shrugged, "I can't argue with that but Damon…"

Alaric was abruptly cut off as Damon leapt to his feed. "I'm not in the mood for sharing tonight." He headed out the door without a backward glance.

Alaric sighed and turned his focus back to his drink. He noted with surprise Elena frowning towards the door that had just slammed shut behind Damon. She left Stefan with Meredith and Bonnie at the pool table. "What's wrong with Damon? He's been acting strangely?"

Alaric raised his brown. Elena grinned, "OK I mean more strange than normal."

"I suspect Christmas is having a negative effect on him."

She frowned.

"How could it possibly have a bad effect – does he hate "jolly old elves or something?"

"It's a time for family, friends and closeness. You know he has a hard time letting anyone into what's left of his heart." Then gently in a soft voice he added, "Its hard for him to see you with Stefan."

She scoffed, "Its not like he's in love with me."

Alaric said nothing.

"Alaric, you know he's not – not really."

They all jumped when a loud bang shook the grill. The force of the wind had blown the door open. Matt and the bartender ran over to close it again.

"That's a pretty awful storm blowing out there." Alaric commented.

"Do you know where he went?" Elena asked.

Alaric shook his head. "No, he wasn't' particularly talkative.

He seemed very… I don't know, alone, tonight. He mentioned a Christmas long ago that could have been good or something like that."

"I wonder if he was referring to when Stefan's mother was alive. Damon's own mother left when he was just a baby.

Alaric looked surprised. "I had no idea."

"Um" Elena threw a quick look in Stefan's direction. "Could you please let them know I had some Christmas errands to run."

Alaric grinned. "Sure, I'll cover for you."

She threw him a disgruntled look and headed out the door into the whirling blizzard.

She had a hunch to where Damon ran off to. She debated driving but it was only a few minutes walk. She wrapped her scarf tightly around herself and pulled her hood down low as she made her way through the whirling masses and wild wind to the Fells Church Cemetery.

She could barely see as the snow made her eyes water. She hastily brushed the flakes away. Near Stefan's mother tomb, she saw a dark shape leaning against a tree. She was right. "Damon!"

Just then for a brief moment a break in the clouds allowed the full moon to glimpse through and in its bright light she could make out Damon's icy gaze as he blinked rapidly and ran his hand across his face.

"Elena, are you insane, what are you doing out here?" His voice sounded strangely hoarse. He came over and stood very close gazing into her eyes.

"You left the grill so fast I wanted to make sure you were all right." She had only twice before seen him look so distraught when her wings had encompassed him and when he was worried that Stefan was dying.

He flashed his mega kilowatt smile briefly. "You were so absorbed in dear Stefan I didn't think you even noticed I was there."

"Stefan is recovering from his ordeal, I would never do anything to upset him. You know that. But Damon, you know I care about you too."

"Sure you do." He responded staring up at the moon.

"What's wrong? What made you come out here to the cemetery?" Her hand came up to brush his wind blown black hair from his eyes.

His face shadowed briefly. "I was waiting for some grief stricken mourner to show up so I could have a snack." He flashed his fangs

She sighed in frustration. "If you are just going to make jokes, then why did I bother to come after you?" She turned to leave.

She barely heard him above the howling winds.

"My mother." He said in a defensive tone.

She turned back. "What about her?"

"I was just thinking that I wished she had lived, it might have been one Christmas I could have had a good memory of."

"So you reached out to someone who had loved you? You must miss her?"

He laughed harshly. "It's been centuries and she wasn't even my mother she was Stefan's."

"But you are the one who knew her and loved her." She challenged him.

He stared stubbornly into the whirling snow as the moon darkened as the sun eclipsed it.

"I had some crazy idea that during the eclipse maybe I could see her. When the veil between the worlds is thin on this longest night of the year."

He sounded so sad, dejected. She ran over to him and put her arms around him. He stood frozen for a moment and then reciprocated. He held her tightly as if she were an anchor in a stormy sea.

He closed his eyes burying his face in her long silky hair. They stood that way for a few moments then Elena suddenly gasped "Damon, look at the moon."

The eclipse had turned it into a bright red moon. Everything was bathed in an eerie light. Damon laughed softly "Natures giant red Christmas ornament" They watched in awe until the clouds once again moved obscured it from view and the winds kicked up.

"You are shivering, you should go." Damon looked at her concerned.

She smiled. "You are always protecting me but there is no way I'm leaving you out here by yourself."

Damon looked stubborn until she took his hand. "No one is home tonight and the house is all done up for Christmas. Come with me and have a hot chocolate. I need one to warm me up and I don't drink alone." She winked at him.

He looked confused and she couldn't blame him. They had grown so close when searching for Stefan and she hadn't been able to stop herself from falling in love with him as much as she was in love with Stefan. While Stefan was dealing with his injuries and trauma from his time in the prison she had forgotten that Damon too was suffering.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For not being there for you as well as Stefan."

"I don't need anyone." His eyes turned to ice.

She tugged on his hand. "Please come."

A flash of vulnerability crossed is face.

"Damon, please." She pleaded.

He stared at her intently for a moment and then let her tug him through the snow and wind. By the time they reached Elena's house she was shivering. Damon grabbed a blanket off the sofa wrapping her in it as he got the fire going. His eyes widened as he looked around. There were Santa's and angels and reindeer and candles all over the house. But the best feature was the huge tree covered in a multitude of tiny white lights and beautiful ornaments. He stood in awe staring at it.

Elena smiled and got up going into the kitchen to make hot chocolate. She was in the process of adding the marshmallows when Damon pressed up against her. "There are presents under the tree."

"Uh Huh."

"Two of them have my name on them."

"Hmmm really? I guess Santa thinks you were a good boy this year." She glanced at him "So what elf did you compel to add you to the nice list?" she said with a smile.

Damon laughed as she handed him the hot chocolate.

"Thank you."

"It's just hot chocolate."

"This and for coming to find me and for bringing me here and for the presents."

They went back into the living room and sat in front of the fire.

"So you have never had a real Christmas?"

He shook his head. "The one chance I had for one, died before Christmas many years ago when I was still human."

"I'm sorry. But it's not too late."

He shrugged. "I can never have what I really want for Christmas."

"Don't say that. What you want may come, it might just take time." She said quietly.

He laughed harshly. "You don't know that, you have no idea what I want."

She didn't answer, she looked at him intently and then as on so many occasions when they were trying to find Stefan she ended up in his arms. His lips came down on hers as if they were always meant to be there.

She came up for air breathless. "Whatever happens, Damon, please know that I love you. You know that right?"

His eyes widened and he swallowed heavily. He pulled back from her.

"Damon?"

He looked at her in disbelief. "You love Stefan, you don't love me."

She sighed. "Stop telling me how I feel. Yes I do love Stefan but I love you just as much. It's different. It's confusing. While Stefan is recovering I can't make any decisions, I need to help him. But I need for you to know that I love you. It's genuine. Why do you think I went after you tonight? I knew something was wrong. I needed to be with you. Damon you aren't alone anymore."

"You love me." He said so quietly she barely heard him over the wind outside.

"Yes."

"I know I don't deserve you."

"Shhh, don't ever say that." Elena put her finger over his lips and then leaned in for another kiss.

As the winds outside howled outside and the snows blew and the storm raged Damon and Elena curled up together wrapped in a blanket by the Christmas tree. When Elena looked at Damon she once again saw the stars in his eyes.

[i]May your Christmas be Magical.[/i]