Fun little one-shot for you. Seems I can't completely stay away from writing as it is my "happy time" and this season is already giving me SOOO much inspiration. I may extend this or may continue doing some fun one shots throughout this season. We'll see. Let me know what you think.

Spoiler for 302: Who loved that moment between D/E at the end of the Hybrid? MEEE!

I watched it a million times, just dying for Elena to realize how amazing Damon is. Ugh, stupid girl. Come on!

Thanks for all the great reviews on The Last Goodbye. I was sad to end that but was happy to hear so many of you enjoyed it.

As always, I do not own The Vampire Diaries or its characters…just playing with them. I do own the words in this fanfic though so keep those here with me!

I entered the boarding house, closing the heavy, mahogany door behind me. I had been coming and going as if it were my house since…well, since it legally became my house before the whole business with Klaus. I didn't think anything of it until Damon started to act like I belonged here as well. At first it worried me that he would expect more than simply my presence around the large estate…but soon enough I didn't care anymore. It felt nice to simply belong somewhere. Jenna was gone, Jeremy was acting weird, Bonnie was MIA, Caroline had her own sidekick and Alaric was just as screwed up as I was. It was nice to come "home" to the boarding house, greet Damon and settle into the couch in the library to do my homework. I would sometimes even pretend Stefan was just out hunting or upstairs. Denial was my friend and one of the few comforts that I had left.

I didn't even realize I'd fallen asleep while studying until Damon woke me up by sitting down next to me on the leather couch.

"Hey," he began, doing his best to not look concerned even though I could tell he was.

"Oh hi." I sat up, closing the book that had been open on my lap. "Guess trig isn't exciting enough to keep me awake."

Damon leaned back and took a sip of the drink in his hand, still pretending he didn't care. He wasn't very good at exuding apathy anymore. "Maybe if you didn't spend your night hours waiting for the phone to ring and instead slept you'd make it through your homework."

"Is this the part where you lecture me about waiting for Stefan?" I threw back.

"No, I think you've heard that speech enough this week. I'm just worried about you. You look awful." He said as his eyebrows drew together. If he kept doing that he was going to lose his perfect, young vampire look and get crows feet or something.

"Thanks for the kind words but I'm fine Damon." I said rolling my eyes as I began to gather my books and head home…or to my other home.

"Hey," Damon sat his drink down and touched my arm as I ignored the sparks that shot through my body with his simple gesture. "You know what I mean. You look hot as always but exhausted too. Why don't you stay the night and try out my bed."

My eyebrows rose up into my forehead as I crossed my arms over my chest, standing up. "Your bed?"

Damon stood up in front of me. "I'd take a guest room." He grinned innocently.

I shrugged. "It doesn't matter where I sleep, it's still hard to sleep with all these thoughts in my head."

"So everyday you come over, do your homework or at least pretend to do your homework, glance at Stefan's room, occasionally nibble at food I keep in the fridge and go back home to an empty house." Damon said recounting my daily routine.

"Its not completely empty. Jeremy is there."

"Ok, but why?" Damon said, taking a step toward me.

"Why is Jeremy there? Because he lives there…"

"No, why do you come over? Here." He clarified.

I knew where he was going with this and probably somewhere in my mind I knew it was coming but I wanted to just run in the moment. "I don't know." I lied.

"I think you do." He said, stepping even closer. "Tell me Elena." God I hated when he said my name like that. It wasn't fair. "Why do you come here every day and put up with my moods and remind yourself of all the pain we've both been through this year when you could just go home or go to the grill or even shopping with Caroline? Why bother?"

I knew the answer but wasn't about to form the words with Damon in the room. I wasn't even sure I'd acknowledged the answer in my own head until that moment. Damon was so close I could smell him and all I could think about was what he looked like a few months ago when I kissed him in what I thought were his last moments. I couldn't think with him this close. "Because." Was all I managed to get out.

"Because?"

I took a deep breath. "Because…I don't know. Because I'm lonely, I have no one except you. When I'm here I feel okay. I barely keep it together at school, at home I just want to sit in Jenna's room and cry, but here I feel okay. When I'm around you I don't feel broken or lonely or even lost anymore. Ok? I feel like I'm home." I met Damon's eyes and was surprised when I realized what I'd said out loud that he wasn't running from the room. In fact he looked happy.

"You are home," was all he said before I saw the look in his eyes that said he wanted to kiss me. I'd seen it before and typically I would freak out and stop him but at the moment I wanted nothing more. I allowed Damon to crash his lips into mine. I allowed him to back me up onto the couch I had just napped on, allowed him to let his hands roam all over my body while I moaned with pleasure into his mouth. I allowed his tongue to explore mine as he pressed his weight onto every inch of my body. I allowed him to tear off my shirt and ogle my chest. But it didn't feel like ogling at all. It felt like amazement and adoration. I even allowed myself to rake my fingers through his dark locks as he pressed needy kisses all over my neck and breasts.

Before I could think another thought I was wrestling the fly of his jeans as he began saying my name like an ancient chant. "Elena." First it was loving and needy. "Elena." It gave me goose bumps to think about as he devoured my body with his lips. "Elena. Elena. Elena. ELENA. ELENA. ELENA!"

My eyes shot open as I gasped, waking up on a couch in the board house's library. Damon was sitting in a chair across from me. "Well hello sleeping beauty." He drawled as he sipped his drink, smirking.

"You know I don't mind you crashing here but I'd prefer you do it somewhere that is more drool proof." He nodded to the small pool of liquid on the leather couch. I wiped it away, wiped my mouth and then died a million times from embarrassment.

"Having a good dream? You were moaning a little." He smirked again.

I instinctual grasped my vervain necklace, making sure it was still on. "What did you do?"

Damon frowned. "Nothing? That dream was all you…why?" He crept over to the couch and sat down beside me, leaning close. "Was it dirty?"

I leaned away and scoffed. "No. And if it was it wouldn't be about you."

"Uh huh…then why are you grasping at your necklace and giving me nasty looks?" He wagged his eyebrows.

"Ugh. You're incorrigible." I was so angry with myself for opening my mouth. I knew Damon would never let this go.

"Face it, whatever your subconscious threw at you during your little nap was all you." Damon sat back, smirking even more.

I actually growled as Damon laughed and gathered my books. "So why do you come over everyday Elena? You know there are plenty of other places to do your homework."

I shook off the sense of déjà vu, knowing where this conversation was going and secretly wondering if it would…God, I was doing it again. I blinked, refocusing my brain. "Its quiet. And last I checked I own this house."

"Touché." Damon replied, holding his hands up then finishing off his drink.

"Next time I'll use the school library." I replied as I exited the room. I made it to the front door when Damon appeared right in front of me, causing me to gasp. You'd think I would be used to crap like that by now. I sighed. "Now what?"

"Seriously though, if you need to catch up on sleep, study, whatever you can come here. Its your home now too." Damon said.

I raised an eyebrow wondering if this were a dream as well or if Damon really had entered my dreams somehow after his reference to home. "Thanks." I nodded cautiously.

Damon silently nodded back.

"Well I'll be going now. Night." I said as Damon stepped aside and I opened the front door.

"Night Elena. Sweet dreams." Damon smirked.

I swatted his arm with my hand, pretending like I could actually hurt him as I huffed and slammed the door behind me hearing Damon laugh his swarthy laugh all the way to my car.

So that's that. Want more? Want another one shot or should I somehow extend this? I can't decide. I don't have a lot of time during the week but it seems every other weekend I get some writing time.

I also think Elena is the kind of girl that thinks she just wants to hit Damon when she'd actually feel a lot better if she just kissed him already (again)! Hehe.

Thanks for reading. Reviews = LOVE!