I don't remember how I got here. I don't remember when the gate to the other side reopened. Bonnie and I had returned to normal, parting ways with promises of understanding. As I stood at the door of the boarding house, my fists clenching and in clenching with a forced rhythm as I worked up the gut to open the door to find my-or what used to be my girl: my broken, sad girl. I'd lied to her, and I'd never forgive myself. I doubted she'd see look me in the eye again but she deserved my apology.

A knock on the door and a clear of my throat later I walked in, closing the door quietly behind me. I was met by an eerie silence, the usual fire that burned under the mantle reduced to a pile of ashes.

"Elena?" Her name fell from my lips with a practiced finesse.

I was answered with deafening silence. I cleared my throat once more, making my way up the stairs. I paused in my doorway, finding Elena in my bed. The sheets were decorated with my shirts. She wore my favorite, though I admit the tear tracks made it far more tragic than I ever liked. Her body shook with dry sobs, her fists clenched around my leather jacket.

"Elena.." I murmured her name, my voice cautious as I awaited the doe eyes I loved so much.

I was met instead with blood shot ones, pain radiating from every facet of her features. Disbelief was heavy on her face.

"How?" Her question rang out in the eerie silence, her voice raspy.

I spread my arms in defeat.

"I don't know, baby."

I shook my head slowly, pushing a hand back through my hair.

"I'm so sorry for lying, for breaking my promise, but I would do it again if I had to. I love you, and you knew long ago that I will always choose you first."

She just nodded blankly.

I made slow steps towards her, kneeling at the side of the bed. I reached to brush her hair from her face, flinching as she gripped my wrist, stopping it in its tracks.

"No."

I nodded, starting to withdraw my hand and failing miserably as she gripped it, holding my hand in both of hers.

"You broke me, Damon." A shallow breath, pounding hearts-pain. So much god damned pain. "You destroyed me. I thought I'd lost you forever. I couldn't even find it in me to be happy about my damn guardian coming back because I love you so much."

I raised and lowered my eyebrows.

"There's nothing I can say, Elena. I'm sorry. I am. I never wanted to hurt you."

A flick of an eyebrow on her end, a hint of a faint smile ghosting her lips.

"Then shut up and kiss me, asshole."

An incredulous laugh left my lips as I moved onto the bed, my free hand finding her cheek. My thumb brushed over her lower lip, her eyes following the path of my digit.

I let my forehead fall against hers, my lips parting as I searched for the words I never could find.

"I love you so much, Elena, and if you'll let me; I'll spend the rest of our lives making up for my screw-ups. I'll screw up again; it's inevitable, but I have an eternity to think of new ways to make it up to you. I will; I promise."

She nodded lightly, a smile drawing on her lips.

"You're an idiot, but you're mine. Toxic or not, I can't live without you; I can't survive. And I'm done trying to."

I sealed my answer with a kiss, my lips molding with hers. It felt like coming home. Her hand brought mine to her hip, my thumb ghosting over the hem of her shirt.

Her hands found a home at my neck, her thumbs brushing my ears. I pulled back after a few moments, my breath mingling with hers.

A smile drew on my lips, a knowing smirk on her own as we breathed our 'I love you's' in succession.

We were safe, we were home, and now, as I lie with my soulmate in my arms, drawing languid patterns on her back, I've never felt more peaceful, more loved.

"What're you thinking about?"

I shook my head lightly, my lips curved with a small uptick at the corners.

"Us." I answered with a stereotypical euphemism.

"Our story?"

"No baby, our beginning."

I brushed a kiss to her forehead, a smile peaking against her skin as I felt her smile against my chest.

She was my life, and she'd welcomed me into hers. Together, we could face anything, do anything, survive anything.

And until the next fight, we've got a town full of kids banging on our door.

But for now, we wait and enjoy the calm before our never ending storm.