Chapter 1

"Stefan please stop! This isn't you," Elena cried as Stefan stalked towards her.

"This is me now Elena!" She kept backing away until she couldn't move anymore, until she found herself backed into a corner. She slid down onto her knee's, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Please Stefan, I love you," she pleaded, tears pouring down her face. He growled at her and kept moving forward, her plea falling on deaf ears. He grabbed her face in his hands and looked into her eyes.

"I promise to make this quick," he said, almost sounding like the old Stefan. She closed her eyes and prepared herself for the pain she knew was coming, bracing herself for the terrible shock of it, but it never came. She heard a large crash and opened her eyes. Damon was standing over Stefan. Stefan got to his feet quickly and threw Damon across the room, the human blood he had been drinking making him stronger than his brother. But Damon wasn't weak either, not by a long shot. He got right back up and tackled Stefan. They flew out the window in a blur of speed. Elena got up and ran over to the window and looked out. She could see Damon and Stefan in the front yard, they looked like little more than blurs because of how fast they were moving. She heard cracks and growls,then someone cried out in agony.

Elena gasped and tried to see who it was. Stefan was trying to move away from Damon and he was limping. Stefan growled at Damon then limped off into the forest as fast as he could. Damon looked up into the window at Elena, his eyes catching hers and before she knew it he was standing at her side. His clothes were torn and he had bite marks and cuts on his neck and arms. He had gotten wounded trying to protect her, Elena felt her heart ache at the thought. She looked up her eyes seeking his. When their eyes met she was struck by just how blue his eyes really were, the brightest blue she had ever seen. She couldn't believe she hadn't noticed before just how handsome he really was. Elena ran her hand along his arm where the bite marks were and he winced. She winced too, knowing It was her fault he was hurt now, Knowing she needed to help him.

"Damon, can you take me home?" She asked pulling away from him reluctantly.

He nodded his head as though he was slightly dazed before flashing me a quick smile and walking towards the door. When she reached the street Elena found his car was waiting in the driveway. He opened the passenger door for her almost gallantly. She stood still a fraction longer than she needed to wondering at this new and unexpected side of Damon. She had never seen this side of him before. She never would've even guessed that Damon Salvatore had a sweet side. Elena recovered what was left of her composure and got into the car. He closed her door and then got into the car himself. He cranked the car and sped out.

It didn't take Damon very long to get to Elena's house at the speed he was driving. They pulled up in front of her house within a few minutes. He stopped the car right in front of her house and opened my door for her.

"Will you stay with me tonight?" She asked.

Damon was momentarily taken off guard by the question, it was something he had never thought he would hear from her lips." Of course I will If you need me. I will be out here ok?" She looked at him like he was crazy.

"Are you crazy? You're staying inside tonight. I don't want you to get any more hurt than you already are because of me. Stefen could still be out here. Come on." She grabbed his hand and pulled him to her door. She felt something like a spark of electricity run through her hand when she grabbed his. She had never felt that with Stefan. She smiled to herself a little and grabbed her key out of her pocket, unlocking the door. When she walked in all the lights in her house were off. She flipped some of them on and walked into the kitchen. She noticed a note on the fridge.

Elena ,

Gone out with Alaric wont be back until tomorrow. Jeremy is out with Anna. Be good.

Love,

Jenna

"Well, guess its just you and me, " Elena said. It actually made her kind of happy that her family was out. She had never really been alone with Damon, and the thought of it was sending tingles up and down her spine. Even though she was with Stefan at the time, she had always felt this strange attraction to Damon. She had denied it for as long as she had felt it, but tonight everything had changed and she found herself thinking that maybe she could get to know him better. Elena was still holding Damon's hand so she pulled him up the stairs into her room. She let go of his hand and he walked over to her bed and sat down. Elena belatedly remembered why she had asked him to bring her home, she was going to help him with his wounds.

"Wait here," she told him. "I'll be right back." She went into the bathroom in search of the first aid kit. She rummaged around for a few minutes before finding it and heading back to her room. She sat on the bed next to him and pulled out the alcohol and wipes and started cleaning his cuts. He winced when the alcohol touched his broken skin. She cleansed all his cuts and then bandaged them with gauze.

"I can't tell you how glad I was to see you. I thought…" Her voice trailed off and shook with a slight tremor. "Thank you," she said bringing her eyes up to meet his. He gave her a cocky smile.

"It wasn't anything a normal vampire wouldn't do," he said sardonicly.

Elena slapped his arm playfully and smiled. She looked up at his face to find him looking at her and her breath caught in her throat. Their faces were so close that their lips were inches apart. She suddenly found herself wanting to close the distance between them and kiss him.

'You're with Stefan still,' she reminded herself. 'Yeah,' her inner self reasoned, 'but he almost killed you.'

Time seemed to stand still in those seconds as an internal battle raged inside her. She felt her resolve weaken and before she knew what was happening she felt her lips on his, her eyes sliding closed in sweet defeat.

It took Damon a few seconds to realize what was happening, and a fraction of that to pull her into his arms and kiss her back. His lips were unbelievably soft as she ran her tongue across his bottom lip, winding her arms around his neck. His hands were at her waist, pulling her back with him as he laid down on the bed, her body resting comfortably on top of him. He started kissing down her jaw line, slowly making his way back up to her lips. She pulled away to look at him and found that he was smiling, though not his usually cocky smile.

"Where did that come from?" Damon asked, still holding her close to him. Elena shrugged.

"I don't know," she said truthfully. "Maybe its your sexy vampire charm," she said with a laugh, leaning back in for another kiss. She rolled off him so that she was laying beside him.

"You know, you're a better kisser than I thought," Elena said softly. He smiled broadly at her admission.

"So you thought about it?" He asked with a smirk. She gave him a 'you wish' look before turning back to kiss him.

"Can I ask you a question Damon?"

"What?"

"Do you think he is coming back?" Damon pursed his lips.

"I really don't know," he said softly, turning onto his side so that they were face to face. "But if he does I promise I will be right here with you." He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her tight to him. She smiled at him, knowing she was safe with him. She buried her face in his chest and inhaled deeply. She sighed contentedly. He smelt really good, like vanilla and something else she couldn't describe, but she liked it. She closed her eyes, just taking in the moment, and before she knew it she was asleep.

(In her dream)

She was lying in her bed next to Damon and she heard a swooshing sound. She looked up to find Stefan staring at her and Damon.

"What's this?" He growled. Damon turned in the bed at the sound and his eyes opened. He jumped in front of me in a protective crouch.

"What does it look like?" I said from behind Damon.

"Why Elena?" Stefan asked, his voice pained.

"Seriously? You tried to kill me!" Elena yelled.

Damon pulled Elena closer, not feeling comfortable with Stefan so close.

"You're right, and I plan to finish." Stefan growled then lunged for Elena. Damon pushed her out of the way and pinned Stefan down to the ground. Stefan struggled to get up but Damon had him in an iron hold.

"Get me something wooden!" Damon yelled.

"I can't Damon. It's Stefan were talking about!"

"Well what do you want me to do," he yelled back. "Let him loose on you?" Elena didn't know what to do, but she knew she had to think of something fast before Stefan got loose. She went over to her drawer were she kept a stake just in case and pulled it out. She walked over to Stefan and stabbed him right in the stomach. He cried out in agony. Damon grabbed Stefan and threw him over his shoulder. He walked out the door and down to his car and threw Stefan inside. Elena stood in the doorway crying. Damon came back to her and pulled her into a hug. She buried her head in his neck and just cried. He picked her up and put her in the car with them.

"What are you doing? Are you crazy?" She asked. She was scared to be in the car with Stefan. What if he pulled the stake out? It was just like Damon had read her mind.

"He isn't going to pull the stake out," he said answering her silent question. "And if he tries, just shove it in harder." Elena nodded and looked back at Stefan. He looked like he was in so much pain that it hurt her to even look at him. She turned her focus straight ahead and they kept driving .

(End of dream)

Elena woke up gasping for air. Her dream had felt so real. She looked around and noticed she wasn't in her own bed room she was in Damon's.

As if called, Damon walked through the door.

"Hope you like french toast," he said holding up a plate.

"What happened last night?" She asked groggily.

Damon smirked. "What do you think happened?" He asked with a wink.

"Did you take advantage of me Damon?"

"Elena, chill out." Damon cut her off and started laughing. "Nothing happened."

She let out a sigh of relief then glared at Damon.

"That wasn't very nice," she said crossing her arms and puffing her lip out.

"You're so cute when you pout," he said walking over to her. He put the plate down next to her. He started to leave again but Elena called him back.

"Damon, really what happened last night?"

"You really don't remember do you?" She shook her head. "Stefan came back and tried to attack you, so we came back here and now he is locked in the basement." Elena gasped.

"My dream…" Damon gave her a confused look.

"What dream?"

"I had a dream, or at least I thought it was a dream, of exactly what happened last night. Did I really stab him?" Damon nodded. Elena put her head in her hands. "I'm a horrible person."

"You're not a horrible person Elena. It was for his own good." He put his hand on her back and started rubbing it. She looked at him and gave him a smile.

"Thanks Damon. You're a really a good person. What can I do to make up for everything?" She asked. Damon grinned.

"Well, I can think of a few things." Damon said with a smirk.

Reviews are appreciated. Please tell me if you think anything should change… or have any ideas for the next chapter. Thanks for reading.

- Carolyn