Author's Note:

Wow, I can't even remember the last time I wrote a Vampire Diaries fiction. Since season two started, I have had zero Delena inspiration, but this new episode inspired me to no end! I couldn't help but to write this, simply because I am a hopeless eternal Damon and Elena lover. This is straight, undiluted fluff.

I walked over to my tried and true companion, pouring it into a glass and raising it to my lips. My dear, beloved friend named Bourbon. I closed my eyes, letting the harsh liquid coat my throat, which was still dry from the confession I had made only minutes ago. My eyes still felt wet from the tears I had shed as I compelled her, and my heart still ached from knowing she would never know how I felt.

Hell, it doesn't even matter. Like you said, you don't deserve her. She belongs with Stefan and you know that, I thought, draining the remainder of the alcohol in the glass and then pouring more. I walked over to the fireplace and stared into it just as I had when I had found out Katherine wasn't in the tomb. I sat my glass down on a table and then folded my arms across my chest, feeling tears once again coming to my eyes. I hated it. Hated that she had made me weak.

"Damon?"

I turned around and saw her. Elena stood behind me, still wearing the pajamas I had left her in. Her brown eyes caught mine, and I blinked away the wetness gathering on my lashes. Those eyes were killing me, making me ache with a love and longing that had been ripping me apart for awhile now.

"What are you doing here?" I asked hoarsely.

"Damon, I…" her voice trailed off as tears came to her eyes, just as they had come to mine.

I stared at her, waiting for her to say something. To my surprise, she reached up and stroked the tears from my face with a gentleness that made my heart break all over again with the pain of loving her. She took my face in her hands and looked up at me, her eyes looking into mine so intensely that I thought she could look through me.

"When I got home, I put some vervain in my pocket until I could replace my necklace," she said shakily, her breathing becoming hitched as she seemingly struggled with her emotions.

"Elena…" I began, knowing what that meant. I had tried so hard not to be selfish with her, yet it had been in vain. Now I had thrown yet another complication into her life, which was the one thing I had sought to prevent.

"Shh," she said softly, laying her index finger on my lips to silence me. "Say it again," she whispered.

"Say what again?" I asked her, feeling tired and defeated.

"Tell me," she said, and I knew exactly what she wanted.

I stared deep into her eyes, searching for the rejection I knew would be there. I looked for some sign of hate, but found none. I saw a warm openness, I saw her ever present understanding.

"I…I love you, Elena," I choked, my voice thick with emotion.

Her hand again began stroking the side of my face, and her eyes searched mine. I held her gaze, standing still as a statue. Her dark hair was loose and framing her face, and her brown eyes were still bright with tears. She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen in all the years I had lived. If I could, I would give it all up for her. I would give up eternity, give up my very life for her.

"Damon," she began, her fingers gently pushing a lock of hair from my face.

"Look, I know. I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry that I told you I loved you, I'm sorry that ever since that first day at the boardinghouse I have been nothing but trouble for you. I'm sorry for Vicki, I'm sorry I tried to kill Jeremy, I'm sorry for everything I have ever done to hurt you. I am sorry for all of that and more than I could ever explain, but I am not sorry for loving you. It's selfish, and I am sorry for that, but I refuse to regret loving you," I said, my voice becoming strained and raspy at the end.

"I don't want you to regret loving me," she said, shaking her head.

"What?" I said, blinking. This was not the reaction I was expecting.

"I love you too, Damon," she said, tears now openly streaming down her face.

She leaned up and pressed the briefest, sweetest of kisses to my lips before pulling away. I opened my mouth to call after her, to tell her just how much I loved her and needed her and that I could never bear to lose her, but she was gone. I stared at the place she had disappeared, feeling a new emotion spread through me.

It wasn't love, because love wasn't new to me. I had loved her for a long time now. It was something eerily similar, something that filled the hollow, empty gap that had been growing inside me for years. It was something I had never felt, and it was stronger than the gravity that held me where I stood. It was the most beautiful feeling in the world.

It was the feeling of being loved.