Once Upon a Dream

by Jasmin Kaiba

The sun climbed higher on the endless blue of the sky and sneaked through the blinds of the bedroom to tease open the eyes of the girl tangled into the sheets. With a low moan of protest, her long lashes fluttered and she cracked one lid open to cast a surly glare at the cheerful sun. It was far too early to be up and the sun was not supposed to be so high so early on a December morning. Turning away from the treacherous windows she prepared herself for another trying day and opened both eyes. It took her a few minutes to realize that she was not alone in bed. Panic grabbed at her for a moment and she cast her eyes around the familiar shapes of Damon's bedroom before they focused on the body lying next to her. Her breath got stuck in her chest as she recognized the well-known figure sprawled on his back.

Soft black hair in disarray, blue eyes closed in peaceful oblivion, full soft lips parted in a murmur, chiseled features relaxed as his defined chest rose and fell rhythmically with breaths he didn't need. An overwhelming wave of relief and love washed over Elena as she took him in, bit was soon replaced by sheer confusion. What was he doing there? Only last night he'd told her that he was setting her free and sent her home without him as he stayed at the lake house as Jeremy's teacher. Has he changed his mind? When did he get back?

Trying hard as she might, Elena couldn't remember hearing him come in and that was strange, considering her new but still heightened vampire senses. She couldn't remember much from last night, apart from getting back to the Boarding House and going straight to his room where she cried herself to sleep, fully clothed. She looked down on herself and gasped as she realized that she was completely naked, just as Damon, which she confirmed with a peek beneath the sheets covering his lower half.

Now that was even stranger than him coming back without her noticing. He wouldn't have been able to strip her naked without waking her, not even he was that good. And besides, what would he have accomplished with the act?

She took another glance around the room and stilled. It was Damon's bedroom, but not the way it's been the night before. Not even the sheets were the same she realized as she fingered the soft crimson wrapped around her. Last night those same sheets had been a pale grey color. Unsettled and confused she took in all the differences. The half empty glass of scotch she's left on the bedside table was gone, replaced by an digital alarm clock she'd never seen before; the dresser's surface which normally held Damon's cologne, watch and a few books he liked keeping close, was littered with obviously feminine belongings perfume bottles, a bottle of body lotion, an earring stand and two wooden jewelry boxes along with a small, gold-rimmed mirror. With a start she realized those were her things. She's never seen them before, but those were her things. The beautiful mirror, a priceless antique, had been a birthday present from Damon long with the pair of ruby earrings she could see glittering on the stand.

Tearing her eyes away from the unknown, yet familiar knick-knacks, she looked at the wardrobe and stared again. There, hanging from the half opened door was a shimmering black cocktail dress she didn't recognize even if she knew that she's worn that same dress not too long ago. Beneath it was a pair of lacquered stiletto pumps in a deep emerald green and she had no trouble spotting the matching leather clutch on a small table under the window. Thrown over one of the armchairs in front of the hearth was a silky blue robe, while the other was occupied with a pile of books she knew didn't belong to Damon.

The floor was littered with clothes, she realized. A black button-down shirt with several of its buttons missing was discarded by the door, only a few inches away was a deep purple top and a red-lacy bra, followed by a pair of kicked of black leather boots beside which was a pair of white strappy heels. By the dresser was a pair of dark jeans and a small mini-skirt. A pair of dark-gray boxer-briefs was hanging from the foot of the bed and she saw torn red boy-shorts, matching the discarded bra, perched on one of the bedposts.

Another set of expensive lingerie ruined, she thought to herself before realizing what she was actually thinking. Allowing herself to sink into her confusion she didn't see the man beside her stir, nor did she notice him slowly sit up. First when a pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around her did she turn fully to him, ready to ask a barrage of questions that never came as he smiled and pressed his lips to hers in a good-morning kiss.

Reveling in the taste and feels of his kiss she soon forgot all around her and allowed him to deepen the contact, opening her mouth as his tongue traced the seam of her lips. Their tongues met and danced and she knew that this was right, everything about them was right if only a simple kiss could make her feel like she was floating on a cloud of happiness. Damon made her happy, he always had to some extent and that was all that mattered in the end. Her feelings for him run deeper than anything a flimsy thing like a sire-bond could produce, they had before she'd turned and the sooner everyone realized that the better. The sooner Stefan let go, the better.

After several long minutes, he broke the kiss and moved away slightly to stretch and yawn, scratching the back of his head as he took a look at the alarm. ″Six a.m.? Seriously, Elena? Is it absolutely necessary for you to be at the crack of dawn?″

Her mind reeled at the casual topic he'd opened between them and she wanted to berate him, scream at him and demand answers, but it never came to that, her mouth didn't listen to her mind and she only smirked at him slightly. ″I can't help that I rise with the sun. Nobody's forcing you to get up with me.″

He returned her smirk and leaned in to peck her cheek before he stumbled out of bed and reached for his boxers. ″As if I could stay asleep, knowing you're up and about on your own. Only god knows what kind of trouble you'll find if you're left to your own devices.″

″What the hell is that supposed to mean?″ she grouched.

″It means that we both know you'll do something or meet someone that will turn our lives upside down in the blink of an eye if none is there to prevent that. The devil knows you've done it enough times over the years to last us all several lifetimes,″ he retorted half sarcastically, half honestly and she took it in, knowing that she was a trouble magnet and letting his teasing slide. With a sigh she pushed herself out of the bed and walked over to the armchairs, slipping her robe on as she watched him rummage through the dresser drawers. Turning away from him she walked back to the bed and jumped lightly to retrieve her torn panties. Looking at the ruined lace, she fixed a sour look on her face and turned to him again to see him shaking his head at his button-less shirt.

″This has to stop you know,″ she scolded lightly and looked up at her with a slightly confused face.

″What has to stop?″

″I don't even know how many panties you've ruined already. All I know is that I have fifteen bras that have once been part of beautiful sets I would have liked to wear more than just once. And the ones you ruined last night were brand new, Damon.″ Elena had no idea what she was talking about, but her lips and tongue kept forming words without her mind's consent and she powerless to stop them. It was as if she had no control over her body. Even her thoughts kept straying to things she knew nothing about; it was as if she was merely a spectator in her own mind, cut off from knowing the plot of a very confusing play being acted out by herself.

Her internal war didn't stop her from paying full attention to whatever Damon was saying and doing, however, and she caught his naughty smirk and the blasted eye thing she'd used to hate. ″I don't know why you keep complaining afterwards, it's not like I don't buy you new ones whenever I rip a pair. Besides it's more exciting that way. You know... dangerous,″ he drawled sexily knowing full well how he affected her with a mere lilt of his deep voice.

″As if I need any more danger than what being your lover entails. And every day life with you is more than enough excitement to last me for life,″ she tried to sound put-upon, but couldn't bring herself to hide the twinkle in her eyes, or the slight breathlessness in her voice. Being in a relationship with Damon was truly more than she'd ever expected and every day she got to experience his love and devotion first hand was a day she cherished beyond all else. Being loved by Damon was a drug, deadly addictive and so deliciously dangerous.

″You know you love it when I manhandle you,″ he quipped as he came over and gripped her hips, pressed their fronts together and leaning down, buried his face in her neck.

Her smart retort died on her lips as she felt his tongue running up and down her throat, pausing every now and then to nibble on the sensitive skin. All thought deserted her as his hands made quick work of her sash and pushed her robe from her shoulders. Moments later she was on her back on the bed with his mouth laving and sucking on the sensitive skin between her breasts.

″Damon,″ she moaned airily and knotted her fingers in his messy hair as he engulfed one swollen nipple in his lips and sucked. His hands kept running up and down her body, from the tops of her thighs to her shoulders and back again, his talented lips kept sucking and scarping his teeth over her sensitive flesh.

He switched sides and one of his hands wandered down her quivering belly, over her pubic mound and between her thighs where a finger teased her lips and tested her wetness before it slipped inside. She bit back a particularly loud gasp and tugged harder on his hair as he moved the finger in and out slowly before adding another one and pressing his thumb to her throbbing clit. ″Damon, please,″ she begged, unsure of what exactly she was asking, but knowing that she needed more.

That infuriatingly sexy smirk was back in place as he lifted himself higher to kiss. With their tongues wrapped together he upped the tempo of his fingers and pressed his other hand to her hip, holding her down as she buckled and ground against his hand, needy moans and sighs escaping from her mouth into his. It didn't take long of the delicious torture to build her up and she tore her mouth from his in an uncontrolled scream, writhing with the waves of overwhelming pleasure washing over her.

She didn't have the time to come down from her high before Damon sat up and hoisted her in his arms, setting her in his lap and stretching out his legs under her. With one hand guiding her face to his for another kiss, the other helped her lift her hips over his and position her above his erection. Feeling his tip rub against her sensitive entrance, she mumbled into his lips and slowly sunk down, taking him in her tight wetness. He growled into their kiss, but kept their kiss going as he gripped her hips and encouraged her to move.

She didn't need to be asked twice and wrapped her slim arms around his neck, rolling her pelvis against his, creating delicious friction. Making love with Damon was always a roller coaster of feelings and sensations and tidal waves of almost unbearable pleasure. He knew her body better than she knew it herself and always made sure to give her as much pleasure as possible. For a man as egotistical and mostly self-centered as he sometimes was, the older vampire was a truly selfless lover, seeing to her satisfaction in every way possible before obtaining his own. She'd never left his bed unfulfilled, but always wanting more and more and more. Sex had never been high on her priority list in a relationship before she started sharing a bed with Damon. Now going a day without feeling him inside her at least once was unimaginable.

″Oh, Damon!″ she cried out as he gripped her ass and forced her to move faster and harder on top of him. ″More!″ That was all encouragement he needed to start thrusting up in her and it took only seconds for her to feel the first waves of orgasm starting up again.

He felt her muscles clenching around his hardness and couldn't hold back anymore, with a primal growl his fangs pierced the flesh of her neck and she came, screaming out his name before her own blood-lust won over and she bit his shoulder. As soon as her fangs penetrated his skin, he shuddered and emptied himself inside her with a low moan.

They sat there for a few minutes that stretched by like hours gathering their strength and breath. He was the first to come to, and smiled as he brushed her hair from her sweat-drenched face. ″It's amazing that even after thirty years of having you by my side and in my bed I still can't get enough of you,″ he murmured his voice clogged from their shared passion.

Elena looked into his beautiful blue eyes and couldn't keep a bright grin from her face as she drew him closer for a kiss. ″I love you, Damon,″ she whispered as their lips connected and felt him sigh into her mouth.

The kiss was slow and lazy, devoid of their earlier fire, this dance of their tongues and lips was all about the love they shared.

″I love you too, Elena,″ he answered quietly once they broke apart. ″Always and forever.″

With a start Elena woke up and looked around. ″Damon?″ she called out, but knew that no answer would come. Outside the windows, the sky was a dreary gray, no sun in sight and his room was in the same desolate state as it had been the previous night. Gone were the traces of a life they shared between those walls and her only belongings were the duffel bag stuffed with clothes and her memories of a dream she wished with all her heart to come true.

Closing her eyes upon the cold loneliness of the reality she woke to, Elena lay back down and inhaled his scent from the sheets and pillows, allowing her mind to replay the beautiful images of her dream she felt the same feeling of love and comfort wash over her as it had while he made love to her back in that beautiful, sunny fantasy.

One day, she told herself as tears run down her face and wet the soft gray pillowcase, one day she would get his to believe her and that magical morning thirty years into the future would be their reality. And then she would never fall asleep or wake up without him again.

That was her promise to herself and to him, and she will keep it, no matter what happened.

AN: I can truly say that I hated the way 4x09 played out, and this was a result of my over thinking the issue. Anyway, I hoped you liked it.

Jas