Ok guys, I surrender to your requests. You have all made me your slave hahaha. I decided to give Damon a couple more chapters in this sequel to show his healing process after 'A little Pain Never Hurt Anyone'. If you have not read this fic, this one will make no sense so go and read! I hope it doesn't disappoint and that you will all review.

CHAPTER 1

THE PAIN IN THE HEART

Elena had stayed to talk things out with Stefan and to make sure Damon didn't wreck the entire house. Stefan had seemed so tired once Damon had returned to his room to wash and dress himself that she had managed to convince him that her presence here wouldn't cause any problems. He had tried to argue and send her home, feeling that Damon's transgressions were his responsibility alone but she had stood her ground and eventually he had retired to get some rest.

She spent some time cleaning up the broken ornaments everywhere, salvaging what she could but mostly all their lovely vases were obliterated. She knew that Damon was going to take a while to recover from this. She wanted to help but still struggled with Rebekahs logic. Being stuck in between both brothers was hurting them both so much and whenever she tried to comfort Damon she ended up fuelling the fire. She sat down after pouring the shattered relics into a trash bag and fell into her thoughts as she rested her head against the arm of the sofa. She had realised through this experience how much she felt for Damon. Things hadn't really been the same with Stefan since he had come back. She had tried to ignore it, that nagging feeling of admittance but she couldn't anymore. Damon needed to know how much she loved him and how much he was needed because that was what Rebekah had taken from him most-his sense of purpose, belonging. She had him believing that he had no place here and that was so far from the truth as to be like interstellar in gravity.

Her friends may despise him and think him evil and heartless but they were still under no illusions that they needed him on their side of this war against Klaus and his schemes. She closed her eyes sighing as she pondered on how she could help him. It was clear how much Stefan cared and how badly he wanted to be the one to heal his brother and maybe he could do it alone. Somehow she had an inclining that Damon would continue to resist that. Stefan and he had issues she couldn't even begin to fathom, but she sensed that Stefan would need her too. But how? She curled up and lay down as she drifted peacefully, trying to send healing thoughts to Damon, whom by now was fast asleep as he hadn't re-emerged from his bath. She closed her eyes again and drifted off to sleep.

She awoke with a start hearing Stefan's voice upstairs talking. She kicked herself for having fallen asleep as she listened, standing up to approach the stairwell. She could hear Stefan talking calmly and rhythmically and she ventured up the stairs in curiosity. She realised the sound was coming from Damon's room so she peeked inside and Stefan looked up. Damon was all tied up in his sheets as though he was fighting them like vines engulfing him and was curled up shaking. She entered the room shaking too and looked at Stefan remorsefully. Stefan put his finger to his mouth to relay to her not to make a sound so she silently crept in and observed as Stefan began to read from a book in his lap. Damon seemed to calm a little but his back was turned away from her so she couldn't be sure if he was asleep or not. She realised he was reading Gone with Wind and she felt her heart swell. Stefan knew how Damon loved the story and the way he was positioned; close enough to Damon that he could stroke his forehead gently as he read, filled her with overwhelming love and adoration. She decided to take a seat on the floor and watch this beautiful scene a while longer as she closed her eyes and tried to visualise the story before her. Damon's breathing seemed to change and she opened her eyes again to see his body relaxed and deep within the throes of sleep. He must have had a nightmare and Stefan had come to comfort him. Stefan looked down at Damon's face and his eyes were soft, almost human with warmth. This was the Stefan she had fallen in love with, this was his heart on display. She smiled at him as he rested the book down onto the bedside cabinet and pulled the covers up to Damon's neck. It seemed such a natural thing to do, something she had done to Jeremy a hundred times but she had never seen this with these two.

Stefan moved quietly and joined her, helping her up from the floor and ushering her back out of the room again. They moved back down to the foyer before they spoke to ensure they didn't rouse Damon again.

"That was beautiful, what you did up there." She commented and he shrugged seeming slightly embarrassed. He took a seat and she followed. She wasn't sure how to broach the topic again without seeming too demanding but she had to say something.

"It's going to be like this for a while isn't it?" She guessed.

"You know what he's like. He likes to lock things away and not deal with them. He's not going to make this easy."

"You can't be here every minute Stefan. You will need help." She reasoned and he smiled realising her ploy. He shook his head.

"He's my problem Elena."

"Stefan." She tried to sound as though she was scolding him in a gentle way.

"I get it Elena. I can see it now, between you too." His voice cracked but he kept his face straight.

"We haven't really talked about this properly." She said feeling uncomfortable.

"We don't have to. It's simple; with everything that has changed you feel more for him. You love him don't you?" He didn't look at her as he posed the question.

"There's something between us. I don't know how to explain it so that you won't feel like it's because of something you did. It just snuck up on me."

"When did you realise?" He was nervous now, fidgeting and she lowered her head twisting her hands together.

"When I thought he was dead." She whispered, remembering the sight of his broken, catatonic body lying behind Rebekah in that torture room. She shivered and Stefan placed a hand on her knee in empathy. Damon wasn't the only one having nightmares.

"I have no idea what to expect from him Elena. I can't promise you that he's going to get better if you stay here. I don't know what I'm dealing with. I know that touch either frightens him or makes him think he has to perform some sexual function, so I think it's better if I deal with him."

"I understand that but he can't be repelled by touch forever. Everyone knows he's back and we are going to need him. We have to teach him that touch isn't anything to fear."

"How do you suppose we do that? Just because he loves you, doesn't mean he wants you to touch him either." She could feel frustration roll off of Stefan as he spoke. She must have struck a nerve. She nodded her head in agreement and tried to bite her tongue. She had been googling how therapists try to help children recover from sexual abuse since she had left Rebekah and she had read that small introductions of non-threatening touch could slowly start to build acceptance of its normalcy. She really believed that would be true.

"Then stay with me when I am here. Let's help him together, remind him he has a family around him." She suggested. "We take it in shifts and when he has episodes we stick together." Stefan remained silent for a while considering and she cast him several glances nervously. A sob reached their ears from Damon and they were both on their feet looking at each other in agreement as they went to check on him.

Damon was bunched up in his covers again, shaking but still appeared to be asleep. Stefan looked to her and she bit her lip, considering their options. She walked over to the bed, removing her shoes and turned to urge Stefan forward too. He looked unsure and uncomfortable as he followed her lead. She intimated that Stefan should go around to the other side of the bed. She climbed on top of the covers beside Damon and Stefan froze. She motioned for him to climb in the opposite side. Damon's bed was enormous and could easily fit 4 or 5 people in it so she knew he wouldn't feel crowded or suffocated by having them on either side. Stefan lay down feeling reserved about this idea but Elena smiled reassuringly as she lay her head down against the pillow. Damon had calmed as though their very presence had lulled him. She tentatively lay her hand on Damon's side and watched as Stefan shook his head in disagreement. Damon stirred slightly and she held her breath. She motioned with her head for Stefan to hold Damon too but he shook his head again. She shot him a commanding look and he faltered, giving in and placing his hand on top of hers. It was strange how comfortable a position it was, holding Damon between them with interlocked fingers resting on Damon's side as they both tried to relax.

Elena allowed her eyes to close after a lingering look at Damon's face. She longed to kiss his cheek to let him know they were there and that they weren't going to leave him alone. She thought it best to give him as much space as possible though, to avoid a scene when he awoke with grimly anticipated arousal. She closed her eyes, no longer able to see Stefan other than his hand upon hers. He squeezed her hand a little and she sighed, drifting off to sleep.

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Elena was running, so fast she thought she might fall forward onto her knees as though she were being pulled along by an invisible leash. Her body propelled her forward violently in response to Damon's screams of anguish. She had to get to him, she had to stop whoever was hurting him! She ran into his bedroom, almost tripping on one of his Persian rugs as her feet slid from the varnished floor boards. There was blood everywhere, on the walls, on the bed sheets and Damon was nowhere to be seen.

"Damon?!" She shouted frantically, speeding into the bathroom to find him lying on his back. She rushed to his side calling his name and lifting him into her lap. He looked up at her only barely aware of her presence as she called for Stefan sounding like a madwoman. She ran her hands over his body looking for wounds when she touched a needle handle and looked down at it. It was one of the needles she had used when she was torturing him and she screamed at Stefan to hurry and come help her. Klaus or Rebekah had done this to taunt them. To show them that they still knew how to mess with their heads. She took it in her fingers carefully to remove it and he whimpered against her, clutching her hands fiercely.

"Don't hurt me anymore!" He begged. She stared at him in shock as she shook her head at him, tears welling in her eyes.

"It wasn't me Damon. I didn't…" She tried to reassure him, he was so confused again.

"Why are you still hurting me Elena? Please…" He begged again as his body shook with a convulsion. She screamed Stefan's name this time, panicking as Damon seemed to be dying. Damon stilled in her arms and started to turn a strange grey colour. It travelled up from the needle towards his open eyes and she shook him.

"Damon? Damon what's happening?!" She cried. He hadn't been staked, so he couldn't really be dying could he? His eyes clouded over and he lay limp as she screamed incoherent sounds, clutching him.

"Help!" She cried desperately, not sure who she was calling to.

"Elena!" She heard Stefan call and she shut her eyes shaking from tears.

"Elena wake up!" Damon's voice now and she stilled, opening her eyes to see both brothers surrounding her in fear. She hiccupped as she realised they were all in Damon's bed. She was soaked around her collar from tears as she blinked a few times. Damon was watching her with grave interested as Stefan looked at her terrified and concerned. She shook herself, sitting up and wiping her cheeks free from tears.

"Damon." She whispered looking at him, taking in his dishevelled but very much alive appearance. His mouth was open but it seemed as though he didn't know what to say. The relief of him being here, unhurt and safe was too overwhelming and she threw herself into his arms, hugging him fiercely. Damon froze at her contact but all she could think about right now was that he was safe. Some more sobs escaped her as she kissed his shoulder repeatedly and held him.

"Elena…" Stefan breathed as though he was too scared to move or speak too loudly, lest something awful happened and she opened her eyes, realising how much she was touching Damon. He was going to be confused by the contact and she slowly tried to move back to avoid startling him. He put his arms around her as she tried to pull back to look at his face and he squeezed her to him. It was her turn to freeze now as she let him hug her and sigh against her neck. This was good surely. He was holding her now, voluntarily and he seemed to be relaxing against her. Stefan watched carefully, not daring to breathe as Elena rested her head on Damon's shoulder.

"Are you ok?" Damon whispered against her neck and she sighed relieved.

"It was a dream." She mumbled against his skin. He gradually released her and they sat facing each other. He looked at her knowingly. He was dreaming about everything that happened too. He reached out and wiped her cheek delicately of tears and she smiled, amazed at his easy contact. He could touch others, it was just people touching him that made him nervous. They could work with that.

"You didn't tell me you were having nightmares too." Stefan's voice brought them back out of their memory, reminding them of his presence. Elena blushed embarrassed. She hadn't wanted Stefan to know. He had enough to worry about. Damon turned to look at him, raising his eyebrows.

"What are you both doing in here?" He asked. Stefan bit his lip, not wanting to make Damon feel like a charity case by clueing him in on just how many nightmares he was having. It wouldn't do any good to have Damon know they were tiptoeing around him like he was a bull in a china shop once he was asleep.

"We just wanted to check on you and fell asleep." He said and Damon snorted.

"Threesome huh? Why didn't we think of that before?" Damon smirked, trying to ease the vulnerability he felt at having to be cocooned by both of them. He lay back down looking up at the ceiling as Stefan and Elena exchanged glances. Elena lay back down turned towards Damon and Stefan mimicked her as they both watched Damon closely. Damon squeezed his eyes shut and exhaled through his nose as though he was experiencing pain. Stefan tensed beside him and Elena frowned in confusion. She reached out and placed her hand on Damon's. He took in a sharp breath and looked at her.

"Damon?" She whispered and Stefan sat up slowly looking concerned. Damon blinked and groaned. Was he in pain? She looked up at Stefan and he gulped.

"Elena, time for you to get some breakfast." Stefan urged and then she realised. How stupid of her to forget Damon's' affliction. Damon frowned at her in need and squirmed.

"No, Elena please stay. Please help…" Damon groaned and Stefan huffed unhappily.

"Damon, we've been through this." He reminded him sternly but kindly and Damon emitted a small growl of annoyance. Elena got up to get out of the bed with haste but Damon caught her by the arm and rolled towards her.

"Damon, enough!" Stefan shouted and grabbed Damon's shoulders, trying to roll him back onto his back again but Damon groaned, gazing up at her.

"Why are you hurting me?" He asked her and his sincerity was so deep that she gasped. Those words were like a mousetrap, she just kept falling into them, encountering them even in her sleep. She looked at Stefan hurt, seeing Stefan's exasperation and she pulled herself together. Teach him that touch is good and normal. She almost heard the author's words in her head.

"It's ok Stefan. Let him go." She said confidently and Stefan frowned. She nodded sternly at him and he released his hold on him. Damon seemed to relax again, believing she was going to release him from his arousal as she climbed back in to the bed again. He lay waiting for her to make a move on him as she tried to figure out what to do. Normal, non-sexual touch. She had to start there. He was recoiling from their touch the rest of the time but he wanted it now, so maybe this would be their opportunity to begin introducing appropriate touch without him fearing it.

She lifted her hand and traced his eyebrows lightly. He closed his eyes, unafraid and she smiled. Stefan was sitting up fully watching them. She ran her fingers down onto his cheekbones and stroked them, like she remembered her grandma used to do when she was little, cupping his face afterwards to warm his cold cheeks. He did seem to be enjoying the touches and she began to feel more justified in her decision to try this. She leaned forward and kissed his cheek and he tried to pull her to his mouth. Stefan tensed, but she held a hand up to stop him from interrupting, as she moved her face to the side and forced Damon to kiss her cheek instead. Damon opened his eyes and groaned. He wanted her, wanted her mouth and her heart throbbed for him. This was so hard for him, being touched but not in the way he felt he needed. This was the only way though and it might take some time and practise.

"This is because I love you." She whispered as she ran her fingers through his hair hoping that he would understand. He grimaced and groaned, realising that she wasn't going to touch him below his waist and yet he couldn't pull away from her as she placed feather light kisses over his eyelids and held him to her.

"Please Elena, I want you." He whispered in a pleading tone as he tried to pull her into him. Stefan tensed again, ready to pull Damon back should he lose control.

"Your brother is here." Elena reminded him, trying to force some logical thinking into the situation and Damon just huffed. She put her arm around his back and he stopped pulling her in. He seemed satisfied with this proximity for the moment and she rubbed his back through the sheets, ensuring not to touch his naked skin.

"I know it hurts, but it will get better." She cooed and he frowned. "Do you love me?" She asked openly and Damon looked at her sadly.

"You know I do." He whispered and she cupped his cheek again as he leant into her hand.

"Then trust me. No sex Damon." She said gently and he huffed again and turned away from her. She let him curl into himself in a mood as she rubbed his back again soothingly. Stefan almost had a smile on his face as he got out of the bed. Elena placed a kiss on the back of Damon's head as he grunted and got out of the bed too. Damon could pout all he wanted, Elena still felt like they had had a success here. Damon stormed out of the bed, surprising them both and went into the bathroom, turning the shower on. If looks could kill she knew they would both have exploded over the walls in here. Damon was mad and hurt but at least he was trying to fix himself.

They both left him in privacy as they headed downstairs.

"That was brilliant." He remarked and she smiled.

"I think if we keep this process going it'll help him accept touch." She said and Stefan nodded.

"You're going to have to be careful though, what if he tried to force it?"

"I don't think he would do that, he's been forced for so long."

"Still, he's strong Elena and he has ways of making people agreeable." Stefan warned, blushing at the thought of Damon turning his charms on to full power with her. He had watched for years in awe of Damon's ability to make women forget their own names without the need for compulsion. He had always had a way with women and sex was what he did best, if the years of female moaning sounds emitted from his closed bedroom door were anything to go by.

"I can handle him, don't worry." She said sure and confident. Damon battered around upstairs, obviously still aggravated and then came barrelling down the stairs on a mission. He had his black leather jacket on and ignored them both as he walked through the foyer.

"Where are you going?" Stefan called and Damon ignored him. Stefan blurred in front of him, blocking his exit as Damon growled.

"Get out of my way Stefan." He glared and Stefan folded his arms.

"It's too soon for you to be out and about brother. You need to relax for a while." Stefan advised but Damon only growled again. Elena got up full of uncertainty and approached them.

"Damon. Maybe Stefan is right. Why don't you hang out with us for a while?" She spoke gently and he hung his head, not turning to acknowledge her.

"I'm not allowed to leave?" Damon's voice was strange and they both realised how this must look to him. He had been held captive for so long and now they were trying to keep him locked up here too. Elena placed her hand on his back and he only flinched a tiny amount this time.

"Of course you are, just let us come with you for a little while." She suggested and Stefan swallowed, unwilling to feel like he was a captor. Damon turned to look at her, angrily.

"I'm a big bad vampire Elena, I don't need your protection. I don't want you hanging around me, dangling a carrot in front of me. In fact I don't want you here at all." He huffed and her heart fell like a lead balloon. She took a step back and anguish flashed across his face as she held a hand to her stomach. He straightened up and his face became blank again. He turned back to Stefan and raised his eyebrows. Stefan begrudgingly moved aside and let him leave. Elena's stomach gurgled and Stefan held her to him.

"He just needs time." Stefan whispered into her hair and they held each other, hoping that that was true.