NOTE: I DO NOT OWN ANY CHARACTERS AND MOST OF THE FIRST HALF OF THE STORY. RATED M FOR FUTURE CHAPTERS. HOPEFULLY TASTEFULLY EXECUTED SMUT.

"Elena" Damon called from behind me and walking my way. He didn't look exactly happy. He must have only just woken up after Stefan snapped his back.

"Did you get what you want?" he asked, sounding pretty bitter. I knew he'd be mad at me for what I asked Stefan to do. This didn't surprise me.

"Actually, yes…" I started before he cut me off and handed me my wrap.

"Good, tell me on the ride home. We're leaving, come on" Damon said, grabbing my arm in an attempt to drag me to his car. His grip was strong and powerful but not in a way it would hurt me. He tried pulling me away but I protested and pulled back.

"Ah, no Damon. Let go of me!" I growled and struggled against his supernaturally strong grip. He wouldn't look me in the eyes as I spoke.

"Look, I'm sorry that I had to cut you out of the plan…" I started again.

"There shouldn't have been a plan. You shouldn't be here" he growled in a whisper, finally meeting my eyes. As he spoke, I couldn't help feel the tension that seemed to always surround me when Damon and I were together. I felt my heart beat faster and my breathing become more rapid while looking into his ice blue eyes.

"You think I like going behind your back?" I asked incredulously "I don't. But if I hadn't asked Stefan to help then you would have tried to be the hero and you would've ruined everything" Damon was so close to me. I could feel his cool breath on my lips. But I couldn't think of that now. I had to defend my actions. He couldn't treat me like a child forever. He wasn't my keeper.

"Sorry for trying to keep you alive! Clearly Stefan doesn't give a crap anymore" Why did everything have to revolve around Stefan. This was my choice!

"Now you're mad at me for including Stefan?" Damon was just going to have to realise that this was my decision, not his.

"No! I'm mad at you because I love you!" His fierce voice was so consumed with passion that it caught me by surprise. I felt my heart beat even faster as I thought of something to say. Maybe along the lines of "You need to trust me Damon" or "I know you do but you've got to let me be an adult and not treat me like a child"

I wish I'd said either of them but after a long silence, I came up with "Well maybe that's the problem" The look on Damon's face was hurt. Deep and utter hurt. I regretted my words as soon as they'd left my lips and knew they weren't the words I'd been searching for. He'd bared his soul to me time and time again and I had basically tore out his heart and lit it on fire.

"No… that's not what I meant…"

"No I got it Elena" The walls that I'd gradually been pulling down instantly shot back up again "I care too much. I'm a liability" he spat "How ironic is that?" Before I could begin to tell him how wrong he was, Caroline turned up, asking if we'd seen Matt.

/

I was standing with Caroline who was still looking for Matt when she heard a fight. I was praying to God it wasn't Damon. My fears were confirmed when I saw Stefan run out the door. Not far behind him were the Original siblings, well four of them. I ran out the door to find Damon standing over a body, which I recognised as the fifth original sibling, with Stefan staring at him. None of the siblings looked very distraught.

"Are you crazy?" Stefan asked.

"Maybe a little" Damon said, looking past Stefan to me. This was my fault. "Far be it for me to cause a problem" he aimed at me. I looked at him, begging with my eyes for him to stay but he turned and started walking away. So many things crossed my mind as I watched Damon's retreating figure. If I didn't stop him now he'd either drink his sorrows away or flip the switch and go on a murderous rampage, or both. Damon was known for having very strong emotions and taking things way out of proportion. He was not going anywhere, not without me.

"Damon!" I yelled. I heard him chuckle but he didn't break his stride. "Damon, you get your ass back here right now" I growled, not yelled. This made him stop for a second, debating whether or not to continue. I took advantage this little hesitation and made my way down the stairs. I ran, as well as I could in heels, to Damon who had turned around and was now looking at me.

As he watched me make my way towards him, his eyes softened. He almost looked sad.

I was angry. Angry with Damon and angry with myself for what I'd started. If my stupid mouth had been linked with my brain… and my heart, none of this would be happening.

"Damon Salvatore! You do NOT get to walk away from me" I was only ten metres from him now and the sadness was gone from everywhere on his face except his eyes.

"I'm afraid you don't get a say in that Elena" he said, turning to walk away again.

Walking a fast as my shoes allowed, I caught his arm and spun him around.

"Just like you don't get a say in this" I said before snaking my arm around his neck and pulling his lips to mine. I kissed him with passion I never knew I had. The kiss was tender and gentle but also filled with a fire so strong, it burnt deep within me.

Damon's lips were still, like he'd frozen in shock but it didn't take him more than a few seconds to melt into me and return the kiss with eagerness. Wrapping both arms around his neck, I pulled him down to me. Damon's arms snaked around my waist, pulling me closer to him. His cool sure lips moved in perfect synchronisation with mine. This couldn't possibly have felt more right. Being here, in Damon's arms, felt more right than any time I'd been with Stefan.

I felt Damon's grip on me loosen as he slowly pulled back. The kiss lingered for a long moment, our lips brushing as I gasped for breath. Opening my eyes I stared back into his. Fire burned behind them, melting them and turning them to liquid. Damon had always been seductive but right now, I swear he was hypnotizing me. I couldn't move, nor did I want to.

Damon's hands slid slowly down to my hips, his long thin fingers playing with the sequins and fabric of my skirt. In return, I moved my hands hesitantly to his face, placing them lightly on his cool cheeks. As I did, Damon let out a sigh followed by a small but very genuine smile. Returning his smile, I was once again overcome by the need to press my lips to his.

The coolness from Damon's fingers travelled through the material of my dress. My already cold skin could feel goosebumps arise. Damon chuckled in a whisper and removed his suit jacket, wrapping it around my shoulders. His smell was hypnotising; the smell of his musky cologne, whiskey and scent I could only describe as Damon. I breathed him in deeply as he pulled me to his chest. Resting my head on his firm chest, I felt eye on the back of my head.

It had taken me until that moment to remember the gathering of people on the Originals front steps. There were at least half a dozen people standing there if I remembered correctly. My heart sped again.

"Elena?" Damon's voice was curious. I looked up at him and then turned my head to look back towards the mansion. Sure enough, the Originals, Caroline and Matt, and Stefan were standing, watching the scene that had just unfolded before their eyes.

As I watched the group, Rebekah, Finn and Elijah turned and walked back into their house. Caroline, looking hurt and like she didn't want to be around Klaus any longer, turned away with Matt. Stefan was left standing on the steps with Klaus who came up behind him and put a firm hand on his shoulder before retrieving Kol from the ground and following his siblings.

"He still loves you Elena. He never stopped" Damon whispered "And you can still choose him. I wouldn't like it but I'd let you go if that's what made you happy". I could hear the sacrifice in his voice. Not looking up at him, I asked "You'd be that willing to let me go?" It was a stupid question. I already knew the answer.

"Elena I never want to let you go ever again, ever. But I'm not going to hold you back from what you really want" Damon answered into my hair.

"Then never let me go ever again, ever" I pulled myself closer to Damon.

I would always love Stefan. He was my first true love and I'd never forget what happened between him and I, but what Damon and I had was built. It had a foundation. We'd gone through so much together and seeing how we could pull through the toughest of things, made me realise that this wasn't just a strong friendship. I think it could be love.

REVIEWS MOST WELCOME. I'D REALLY LOVE THE FEEDBACK. MORE CHAPTERS TO COME :)