Damon felt like a failure. His perfect plan failed. The perfect plan he spent hours upon hours creating. The perfect plan that was supposed to keep Elena out of harms way. The perfect plan that was going to end all the doppelganger problems.
And it failed.
His usually cool emotionless confidence was gone. He couldn't even put a mask on. He couldn't fake that everything was alright. Because it wasn't. And it might never be alright. He promised Elena to keep her safe and he failed.
He had him. Right there. Right under him. Then Stefan, of all people! Stefan ruined it. Pushed him off Klaus. And that's when everything went downhill. He should have been stronger. If he was stronger then Klaus would be dead and all their problems would be solved.
He didn't know what to do, so he opted on getting mad. Mad at Klaus. Mad at Mikeal. Mad at Stefan. Mad at himself. He was just mad.
Elena though. Elena calmed him down. Elena's calming and loving touch calmed him down. She told him they would both let go of Stefan. For a moment, just a brief moment, he believed everything would be alright. That in the end, they would beat the bad guys and win the war: Together.
But they aren't together. She's not his. He wanted to badly to take her in his arms and never let go. He didn't care at the moment if she wasn't his. He just wanted her comfort.
The moment was ruined by the sound of his ringtone. Seeing the name Katherine flash across the screen didn't help his emotions.
"Not interested in a play by play of our failure right now, Katherine." He answered.
Elena frowned. She didn't think of him as a failure. His plan, which was really amazing, might have failed but that didn't mean she thought of him as a failure. If anything, he was her hero.
He was willing to put himself in harms way just to make sure she was okay. That her life wasn't filled with crazy originals trying to kill her left and right.
He loved her.
A fact she couldn't deny. Over the past few weeks, it was Damon who helped her through her struggles. Damon helped her cope with the loss of Stefan. Damon was the one keeping track of Stefan, for her sake. Damon always providing the comic relief in her life, even if she didn't want it. Damon.
It was in that moment that she realized, she would be lost without him. If he died, she would die too. She couldn't live a life without Damon.
She loved Damon.
She hadn't even heard him get off the phone with Katherine, but she was suddenly very aware that he turned to walk away from her.
He walked back to his wet bar and set the tumbler he was holding down. He stood next to the bar and looked down at the floor. He stayed like that for a few moments before letting out a sigh and walking away.
She didn't know what to do. She stood there, arms crossed, for a while.
He lethargically walked up the stairs. A trait that was very un-Damon like.
But he was tired. Tired of always failing.
Why? Why did Stefan ruin everything. He just couldn't figure it out. He kicked his shoes off and layed down on his bed, and just stared at the ceiling.
He was very aware of Elena making her way up the stairs at that moment. He broke his promise. She should hate him.
He felt like Stefan with all his brooding. He let out a dark humorless snort. The irony of the situation was amusing.
Elena slowly made her way to stand next to the bed. She looked down at him and couldn't help but notice the defeated look in his eyes. Another very un-Damon like trait.
"Scoot over." She demanded, motioning for him to move.
He slowly turned his head to look at her. She looked determined. Determined to do what? She should feel defeated. But this is Elena and Elena doesn't do defeated, no matter how much she wanted to.
He moved to the other side of the bed leaving plenty of room for her to climb on the bed with him. She climbed on and moved closer to him. A lot closer than he imagined her being.
In fact, she crawled over to him and snuggled into his side. She wrapped her arm around his abdomen and pulled herself closer. She rested her head on his shoulder, and he couldn't help but put his arm around her to make room.
He was rendered speechless. Frozen.
"I know you feel like a failure and defeated, but you did more than anyone else has for me. You will put yourself in harms way just to protect me and I don't even know how to thank you for that." She whispered, pulling him tighter to her.
"The plan failed, Elena. Klaus is still out there doing god knows what. Stefan's not coming back. Everything is not all rainbows and butterflies." He deadpanned.
She sat up abruptly.
"You think I don't know that? I'm well aware that Klaus is still out there. I know that Stefan is gone, but I've come to accept that. I'm over it. And as for Klaus, we'll think of a new plan just like we always do and we'll keep trying and trying until we get it right. We always survive." She looked him dead in the eye.
His eyes gave him all away. Before he even opened his mouth, she could tell he was angry.
"Do you think that this is all okay, Elena? Stop being so god damned optimistic and look at the reality of this situation. Klaus is still out there. He could be planning revenge right now for all we know! So no, I don't want to hear your thanks. I don't want to hear that we are going to be okay!"
She didn't think. She simply acted on her impulses. She leaned down and shushed him by crushing his lips under hers.
He laid unresponsive under her. His mind blank.
She pulled back. Maybe his feelings changed. Maybe this whole original situation made him realize she wasn't the one he wanted anymore. She was about to crawl off the bed, trying not to let the rejection sting.
Damon snapped out of it realizing that she was about to get away. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back down the bed so fast she didn't see it coming. She was suddenly underneath Damon and his lips were on hers. She wasted no time and reached up to wrap her arms around his neck. She pulled him closer. She wanted to melt.
This bed was the first time she kissed him willingly. Only this time, he wasn't on his death bed. It wasn't a pity kiss. She kissed him because she wanted to kiss him. He warmed her heart. He was her protector. He loved her.
And she loved him.
She might not wanted to admit it to herself but she found it to be an impossible task to do anymore. How could she deny her love when he was so vulnerable?
She pulled back to take a breath. She rested her forehead against his, while he closed his eyes. He was in heaven.
"I love you." She whispered so quietly he was sure he didn't hear her right. His eyes snapped open and searched hers for any sign that is wasn't true. That she was bluffing. That he hadn't heard her correctly.
"I love you." She said a little louder with more confidence.
"Elena…" He said closing his eyes again. He didn't know if he could take it if what she said wasn't true. It would crush him.
"I love you." She said louder. He slowly opened his eyes and looked deep into hers.
"Don't say things you don't mean." He sounded defeated again.
"Don't tell me what I feel. I mean it Damon. I mean it with everything I've got. I love you. What I feel for you, I've never felt with anyone else. And despite what you may say, I feel the safer with you than with anyone else. I love you, Damon."
He didn't know what to say. All he could do was stare back at her.
She loved him.
She loved him. Not Stefan. Not anyone else. Him. Damon Salvatore. The bad brother.
She felt safe with him. He failed her and she still felt safest with him.
She loved him.
He found himself speaking without even thinking first, which in reality that was nothing new.
"I love you. I love you too, Elena. I've always loved you."
"I know." She wrapped her arms around his neck again as he stared down at her with so much love she couldn't believe that it took her this long to figure he feelings out. "I love you, Damon Salvatore."
He couldn't help the smile that made its way to his face. She found him beautiful.
He leaned down and kissed her again and again until she couldn't even remember her own name.
After a long time of just kissing and exploring each other's mouths and hands roaming everywhere they collapsed together. They just laid in each other's arms.
"Do you remember telling me when we first met that Salvatore means savior?" She quietly asked.
"I remember." He closed his eyes and pulled her closer to him.
"My savior." She smiled in complete bliss.
Made a little reference to the books at the end. Wink wink. Review please. (:
