I own nothing. If I owned Ian Somerhalder, well let's just say ppl would on see him on Vampire Diaries every week and that's it. This was inspired by the Lady Gaga song, Monster. Perfect Delena song.

This is Elena POV.

This is Damon POV.

This is General POV.

He's a monster. He kills people, he snapped Jeremy's neck, for Christ's sake! He used Caroline. He tried to kill Bonnie, he threatened to change me because Stefan and I got the grimoire without him. But a part of me loves him for some reason. He's so gorgeous with his almost black hair and his long, lean, pale body. And those eyes! They're so evil and icy and captivating. I can't stop staring in them at times. They're so cold and murderous looking but then he looks at me…and everything changes. The ice in his eyes melts away and leaves the unending, beautiful and dangerous ocean, with waves rolling through and a warm feeling that courses through my entire body. With a single look, he can undo me completely. What's even worse is that he knows exactly what he does to me. He can hear it, feel it, smell it, see it. Everything. I just wish I did the same to him. I shouldn't trust him but more and more, it feels like he's the only one I can trust.

I saw her again today and I wish like hell that she didn't make me feel like this. Holy shit, listen to me! I sound like Stefan now. 146 years of not giving a flying fuck about anyone but myself and this girl, this tiny mortal girl, saunters in and tears all that to shreds. Damn my stupid brother's curiosity! If he hadn't come back for her, I never would have met her and I'd still be living my life the same as the past 146 years. But, at the same time, I cant help but internally thank Stefan for his damned curiosity. If it wasn't for him, I'd have never met Elena and life would still be empty and incomplete. I'd still long for Katherine. Stupid slut. I fell in love with Elena the moment she walked into the boarding house for the first time. But I know she'd never leave Stefan for me so I held onto the illusion of Katherine and getting her out of the tomb. But when she wasn't there, I was kind of…relieved. And I actually felt that same way a couple hours after Katherine told me that it was only Stefan that she loved. In hearing that I felt released. I felt like the weight that was on my shoulders since 1864 was suddenly gone. I was free and I knew exactly what I wanted in my freedom. Elena Gilbert. But I still know that she'll never leave Stefan or give me a shot. She hates me. I almost killed her brother and the witch. I mercilessly used Caroline. I turned her birth mother. I'm nothing but a monster in her eyes. But I still stay, waiting in the wings for that fateful day. The day where she needs help and Stefan can't come to her rescue. The day that Stefan leaves with Katherine to 'protect' Elena. He still loves her and Elena's the only one who can't see it. When that day comes though, I'll be there with my arms wide open for her to fall into. I'll be there in the middle of the night when she can't sleep because she can't stop crying and she needs someone to hold her. I'll be there whenever she needs me because regardless of whether or not I ever get a shot, at least for that little bit of time, she doesn't hate me anymore. And I'm not the monster. For that little bit of time, I get to be the hero, the knight in shining armor. I'd do it anytime for her alone.

He's the monster. A demon. Pure darkness and evil. Hatred and deception. A black, undead, non beating heart cover with ice.

She's the princess. An angel. Pure light and goodness. Love and truth. A living, beating, bleeding heart on fire.

I tell myself every morning that he's the opposite of everything I want. That I don't love him but I do. More than anything. More than Stefan, who has become more of a brother than a boyfriend. Well, ex boyfriend at the moment I guess. I'm finding myself not wanting to go back to Stefan. After the masquerade ball at the Lockwoods', I told him it was because I wanted to know that everyone I love is safe before I think of my feelings. I lied. It was because I'm in love with Damon. Damon had no trouble locking Katherine in the tomb, even what she said I was in danger. He told her that he'd protect me. If it had been Stefan locking her up, he'd have stopped and listened and let her out and then run off with her after all was said and done.

I wake up every morning, hoping that it's all a dream and that I don't actually feel this way. And every morning fails me. I love her and I need to tell her. She needs to know so that she can make a choice. If she chooses him, I'll leave Mystic Falls and never return. Ever. I'll turn it all off and forget I ever met Elena Gilbert. Or maybe I'll lock myself in the tomb with Katherine. I don't know yet but I really don't care. I just need her to know. I owe her that much.

I won't be afraid anymore. I need him to know, I've made my decision. I'll tell Stefan later, maybe even tomorrow. He's off hunting with Caroline anyways. He won't be back till late. It's time he knew. It's time I stopped hiding. I owe him that.

Elena put her journal back in it's hiding place behind the painting at the head of her bed. She grabbed her coat and her keys, put on her shoes and left the house. Bust she wasn't prepared for what was waiting on the opposite side of her front door. She jumped at the sight of the man she was on her way to see.

'Damon! God, you scared me. What are you doing here? I was just coming to see you.'

'Sorry kitten, didn't mean to scare you. There's just something I need to tell you. Why were you coming to see me though?

Elena opened her mouth to speak but lost her nerve. Standing here looking at him, she just couldn't do it. What if he laughed in her face? Or said she was just a replacement for Katherine? Her heart couldn't take that. Finally she spoke.

'I was bored, wanted to see if you wanted to hang out or something. What did you come here to tell me?'

She saw hesitation all over Damon's face. The eldest Salvatore never hesitated. Did something happen to Stefan? Was he leaving her?

'Damon, what is it?'

'You know what? Never mind kitten, I gotta go. I'll uh see you later.'

Just as he started to turn around, she caught his arm.

'No Damon. I want to know. It's obviously important because you're hesitating. You never hesitate. Just tell me.'

'No Elena it's not worth it. Just forget I came over. It was a mistake thinking I could do this, think I could tell you.'

Realization dawned on her the moment he said that. Does he feel the same, she thought.

'Damon, do you love me? Honestly.'

He looked into her eyes and she looked back into his. What she saw there almost broke her heart. There was fear and vulnerability and pain. After a minute of silence he answered her.

'Yes Elena I do. I love you. More than anything. And it's killing me to tell you because you were never supposed to know. I was supposed to wait silently in the wings for the day that you needed me. For the day Stefan left with Katherine or couldn't save you. I wanted to be there to prove myself to you.'

Elena stood there, completely shocked. She didn't know what to say or how to respond. She just stood there, watching him watch her. She felt the tears threaten to fall. she realized their threat wasn't empty as she felt the wetness on her cheeks. Then Damon just nodded his head, pain etched on his face for a millisecond before it hardened.

'Right, I knew this was a mistake. Your decision is clear so I'm leaving Mystic Falls. For good. There's nothing left for me here anymore. Good bye Elena.'

Before he could walk away, she closed the space in between them and crushed her lips to his and kissed him with everything she had inside her. Elena put everything she felt for him into that kiss. When the need for air became to great to ignore, she pulled away slowly and stared into his eyes.

'You are not going anywhere without me, Damon. Stefan tried to leave me behind and I let him. But I won't let you. I love you too much to let you walk away now. You're stuck with me.'

Damon felt his undead heart swell with happiness and love and countless other positive emotions. He smiled down and the beautiful girl in his arms, and it was a genuine smile, not his patented smirk.

'I would not have it any other way Kitten.'

He pulled her into him once more. He never wanted to let her go. And she never wanted him to let go. They let themselves slip into each other and for the first in a long time, he wasn't the monster and she wasn't the princess. She was Elena and he was Damon, they were in love with each other and that's all that mattered to them. They were stuck in the moment with each other.