I move lightly over the soggy ground, pulling my thin heels up from the grass with each step. I'm not sure why I decided to put any extra effort into my look tonight. Not sure why it mattered when I was just going to meet Damon.

Just Damon…

I try to ignore the lift in my chest when I think his name. The way my burdens seem minutely lighter. A little's enough.

Stefan and I have been apart for weeks. He's the Ripper now, and even if he could change back, it would never be the same. He would never be the same. And it's not because of the terrible things he's done. Lord knows Damon, Caroline, Tyler, and even Alaric have done some terrible things of their own. No, I'm not punishing him for his decisions. We all have to make them.

I'd like to think I'm not punishing him at all, but undoubtedly, he would see it that way. I just can't be with him in the same way anymore. I couldn't look into his eyes and see the same man I fell in love with in high school. Even if the decision to join Klaus was fueled by his unending brotherly love for Damon, it changed things beyond repair, and I couldn't look past it.

So it's all history now, Stefan and I. And now I find myself walking towards the one thing I've always resisted with as much strength as I could find. But my strength seems to be waning these days. With Stefan gone, I have more time and energy to focus on the friendship Damon and I have been building these last few years. When we were spending days together searching for Stefan, there was definitely some pushback from our loved ones. Our friends didn't wholly approve of our closeness, but now that Stefan is out of the picture completely, everyone seems to realize how much Damon and I need each other. He's more than just my ex-boyfriend's brother. He's my friend now, too.

Yes, in the past, there were moments that were borderline-or completely-inappropriate. His little touches, my clinging to him, and our kisses. But it's almost like now that he's gotten a taste of what he's always wanted with me, he's realizing how deep it all goes and what it might mean, and I've felt him pulling back recently. I don't want to lose him, even if I'm not entirely sure how I feel about him. So when he asked me to meet him at the cemetery, I agreed without complaint or question.

I walk past the headstones, letting my fingertips brush the smooth rock. Of course, I find myself subconsciously walking towards the Gilbert plot. The pain and grief of loss doesn't make me want to see my family any less. Even though it's a reminder that they're gone, being here brings me more peace than it does strife.

I smell Damon before I see or hear him. Leather, bourbon, and mahogany. It comforts me more than I realized, and I breathe a little deeper with him near. He appears next to me and places a soft kiss on my cheek. I smile at the feel of it and turn to greet him,

"Damon," I breathe out. "What are we doing here?"

"Well, I figured you could use a distraction-"

"So you brought me to the gravesite of my dead family?" I interject. "Seems a bit insensitive to me."

I smirk at him so he knows I'm only teasing him. I know him well enough by now to know he's not that callous.

"If you would let me finish," he says, with that look in his eyes that I suspect is reserved for me, "I wanted to propose a little trip. But I didn't want to take you away without letting you say a little farewell to your family. So here we are."

"A trip? Is that the best idea?" I'm taken aback. Of course I'm glad for how our friendship is developing, but taking a trip together and spending time in close quarters still seems like we're asking for trouble.

"Of course, you can decline if you want. I was, however, hoping you would have some faith in me. It's been a tough year, and I think it's time for a different kind of excitement. Plus, there are things in this world that you've never seen, and I would love to be the one to show you."

I blush, thinking about the things of this life that I want him to show me.

"You know what, Damon? That sounds great. I'd love to go with you."

"Wonderful! It's settled. We'll leave in the morning. Pack enough for the summer. School is out, and I'm claiming the next 3 months of your life for my own," he says with a smile bigger than I've ever seen on his face. I wonder if for once he wasn't confident of the answer to his question. I let that thought distract me from the fact that he just weaseled three whole months of my life from me. How can I be mad in the face of that smile?