Helloooo fellow TVD worshippers! I'm going to keep this short but I'll start off by saying THANKS FOR READING! This is my first FanFic so as always, please be gentle with your critiques. I do have more to say but for now, I will let you get to the story. If you like it, I will see you again at the bottom of the page! ENJOY!

...

It had been 3 weeks since that night. That night when everything changed.

Though Damon's recovery took more time than expected, his condition started to improve right after Katherine had left. The wound left by Tyler's bite had healed right away; all that was left now was a slight darkening of the veins surrounding the phantom bite. This, it seemed, would forever serve as a tiny reminder that Damon Salvator, was in fact not invincible. Though he often still felt weak and almost faint if he didn't feed right away, the most prominent reminder of his ordeal was his lack of what he would call "sass." He took everything more seriously now. He watched every sunset as if it was his last. He sipped every glass of Brandy as though it was the finest delicacy. He viewed every twitch of her lips as though it was the last time she would ever speak to him.

"Damon." She said.

When he didn't answer, she wasn't surprised. Since he was cured she had noticed a constant lucid expression on his face. If they were deep in conversation, he hung on her every word; paid attention to the smallest details. If she was addressing him for the first time of the day, he would watch her approach with the utmost respect and appreciation. But there was always that same expression, one as though he were sleepwalking. Body and mind present, but soul absent.

"Damon." She said again, more stern this time. His eyes suddenly flickered to life as though he was hearing her for the first time.

"Elena.." He cleared his throat; a small smile appearing on his lips. "Morning. Did you sleep well?"

"I did thank you. Have you watched the news at all this morning?" She walked past him into the living room; trying not to drag her feet. She stayed up all night again, he thought. She kept a constant watch on the state of the world. Listening for massacres she hoped wouldn't come. The night he disappeared, Elena must have sent 20 text messages. Once it occurred to her that his silence might not be a product of Klaus's isolation but rather that of ignorance; she sent a single plea. "Stefen. Please." And what she received back couldn't have been any clearer. "Correction: Ripper. I left "Stefen" in Mystic Falls." And that was the last she had heard from him.

After showing Damon the text; they had both agreed to keep an eye out for any hints as to where they might be or where they were headed next. Katherine had disappeared completely. It was safe to assume she was with them. She may have loose ties and bounties on her head all over the world but as long as she was on team Klaus, no one could touch her. Katherine was a perfect example of how it paid to have friends in high places.

"No Elena. The news is on at 7. It's 6:45. Cool your shit." This was his sad attempt at provoking a laugh out of her. When she didn't respond, he turned towards the kitchen. "I'm going to get a blood bag, you want something?"

She waved her hand in response; clearly not concerned with breakfast. "I know but that's the local news. I'm talking country wide." She started flipping through the Salvator's small selection of channels. "Don't you guys have more than like, 4 channels here? I can't find National News anywhere."

This is how their conversations played out. Neither one of them had mentioned what had happened between them the night of Stefen's disappearance. Damon had assumed Elena's kiss what an act of pity. Her silence was proof to him that her actions were a product of the assumption that he was a goner. Since the kiss, he extinguished any hope that they could be together. Though he did often get caught up in their moments together, he had to stay focused. He had a brother to find; and though he had to keep his guard up to pretend he wasn't hurt by her avoidance, he understood: She had a Stefen to find too.

"Elena, I'm 171 years old. Stefen is 164. Why the hell would we need anything more than basic cable? If, in 171 years, I still haven't figured out that there are better things to than sit on my ass, watching TV..."

She cut him off. "You haven't had TV that long Damon."

He tried to retort, but came up empty handed. He hated it when people interrupted his rants; and it didn't help that he was already off his game. "Smartass..." He muttered under his breath.

She glanced at him sideways, smiling coyly. For a brief moment, he was caught in her gaze. They didn't have to acknowledge the kiss verbally to experience the connection it left behind. They had always had chemistry; a playful easiness that provided relief from the everyday chaos that had become their lives, but since that night, it had turned into an intensity that could silence them both with just one look. A knowing look; a snide look; a comforting look; no matter the look there was always a silent moment following that gave them both a chance to bask in each other's company.

Elena was always the first to smother the flames igniting between them. "You should come over." She looked at the floor when she said this. "Your TV is useless to our purpose and I am sort of hungry. I highly doubt you have anything in that fridge aside from the orange juice I put in there weeks ago to tie me over till lunch."

"Can I finish MY breakfast first?" He gestured to the bag of half empty blood in his hands.

Elena considered this. "Why don't you just bring it? It's not like we need to convince anyone at home that you're drinking a bag of red Fanta, or, not anymore at least." Remembering Jenna, she looked 10 years older; but just as fast as the expression appeared, it disappeared; a reminder of her strength. "I don't mind. Just don't spill blood in my car."

"Oh Blasphemy! Not your car! Or sorry, not your SUV, MOM." He joked as he reached past her to grab his jacket.

"Yeah...laugh all you want. It gets me places. It got me HERE and it's going to get US back to MY house." She laughed, striding towards the door.

...

Well there it is! I hope you're enjoying it so far. I know it may not seem like much right now but I assure you that I have big plans for this story. You know when you think of a key scene in your head, and you want to write it down but you want certain events to lead into it? Well yeah...that's what happened here.

I would really love some feedback here guys! As I said before, this is a first for me and I may already know where the story is going, but I do need some tips on the writing. Especially Damon's dialogue. Damn is he hard to write! I guess I'm just not that witty. LOL.

Thanks again guys! Chapter 2 is about to go up so you're not completely left hanging...