AN: Finally I managed to start writing the story *I* wanted to write when I started "My dirty little secret". I don't know how, but I ended up literally losing the plot line. Just please be patient, I may have a frame work and some future chapters written at this stage, but mostly, I am writing this as I go along and with a very hectic life.

This story starts around TVD S1 E14. But we all know it started much sooner. hehe.

Enjoy!

***Chapter revised and updated on Jan/07/2013****

…The first time it happened it seemed innocent enough.

It was an exception she made, a concession she allowed, given the exceptional circumstances she, no, they found themselves in.

Her intentions had been good, pure even, of that Elena was certain.

She had wanted to help, of that she was clear.

Her actions had been inspired by the need to ease the Salvatore brothers' pain. They were suffering and she wanted to take it all away; that was all. She wanted to quieten the turmoil of the brother she loved who loved his older brother whose heart had been broken that day...

It had been a couple of intense weeks… No, intense months really… Elena had met Stefan, the mysterious Mystic Falls newcomer, and fallen for his spell. Then, "accidentally", met his estranged, dazzling brother who Stefan seemed to hate and love with equal intensity, only to find out that they were not what they seemed at all. No, not at all…

So, Elena went from taking a chance in love to taking chances with her life when she decided to stay with Stefan, even though he was a 160 something vampire. Well… it hadn't been boring…Definitely not.

She learned about mythical creatures, compulsion, how cruel and kind Damon could be, about Stefan AND Damon's ex… A woman that bore her face and had blackened both of their hearts by turning them into vampires and, apparently, eternal enemies…

Because that wasn't information enough to send her to the shrink, Elena had also learned that she was adopted, that Stefan was the reason why she escaped her car accident unscathed and that her best friend Bonnie was a witch… All very normal...

Reality couldn't have shifted more abruptly than that; it was practically spinning off its axis.

Then there had been that impromptu trip to Denver, where Damon, the dark knight that he was, rescued her from the debris of a car accident and took her across state lines.

Elena had been indignant at being "kidnapped" at first, but then she became glad. Yes, glad to get out of Mystic Falls, away from what her life had become because of the death of her parents and away from the hidden truths that her boyfriend was keeping from her. And it had been a fun timeout, it really had. Who knew Damon could be such good company? Of course he didn't drop the sexual innuendos or his flirting antics, but Elena found herself relaxing and bonding with the older Salvatore. Maybe the beers helped…

It was all innocent enough, but on that trip they had found a connection, a camaraderie of sorts, which was sealed when Elena saved his life from Stefan's best friend's boyfriend… Damon had deserved to be hurt, he had, after all, killed Lexi and caused Stefan enormous pain. But when push came to shove, Elena had been unable to let it happen. She couldn't pin point the moment when Damon had started to matter… but he did.

When they had returned to Mystic Falls, it was obvious, even to Stefan, her budding friendship with his older brother. It clearly made Stefan uncomfortable, but Damon helping to protect Elena at the 1950's school dance went a long way to diffuse the tension. Then they had struck a tentative balance when Stefan decided to pretend to help Damon free Katherine and Elena agreed to go along with the ruse. She should have known better... but Damon was still being a jerk at the time, so her poor judgement was somewhat justified... Or that is what she told herself so that she could sleep at night...

It still made Elena sick to her stomach when she thought back to when and how Damon learned of their betrayal. His face in the dark forest…, illuminated by her flash light, showed a deep raw hurt… It had been aimed at his brother too, but the lion share of that hurt was because of her betrayal and Elena knew it… She felt it… So when Damon grabbed her and threatened to kill her, even if she was scared, she felt no anger towards him… He had actually released her tenderly, almost carefully, and that dug the knife of her guilt even deeper… That is when she knew for sure that Damon had gotten under her skin.

Elena hadn't really had time to process her feelings before she and Bonnie got kidnapped by other vampires… In the end, they had been saved by her white knight Stefan… but it still stung that Damon didn't care enough to come to her rescue… So Elena had gone to him with a peace offering, removing her vervain necklace to gain back his trust. Damon had been sweet about it, almost tender, and that made some sleepy giant stir inside of her…

Next, plan to free Katherine in hand, Bonnie and her grandma Sheila on their side, they had all congregated at the tomb to lift the spell that was trapping Damon's loved one. Obviously, things didn't go according to plan and chaos ensued. As Damon frantically searched for Katherine, Anna got to go in to get her mother and, Elena, left behind by Damon, was attacked by Pearl who was among the desiccating bodies. Stefan rushed to her aid and then they learned of the older witch's true intentions… Sheila had never intended on lifting the seal… She only wanted to trap more vampires inside… and that meant Stefan and Damon too… Elena pleaded with Bonnie and her best friend made her grandmother open the tomb for real… Anna exited immediately with her mother, but there was no sign of the brothers.

Elena had wearily watched the entrance of the tomb as Bonnie and Sheila chanted and time slowly ran out on Stefan and Damon coming out of that stony grave. Panic seized her and she ran in to find Stefan, deep into the tomb, trying to reason with a hysterical Damon. So Elena urged them both to follow her, pleaded with Damon to follow her, out of that filthy place. Damon, thank the heavens, listened and the brothers managed to exit just in time. Elena felt relieved... that is, until she took one look at Damon as he stood there, immobile, apathetic and broken.

Shivers went down her spine as Elena thought back at how hollow Damon had looked… Poor Damon… Elena's heart was raw on his behalf. The usually cocky, sure of himself and full of swagger vampire had been in a state of shock when he found out that Katherine was not in the tomb. So Elena did what came naturally to her, she left Stefan's side and went to console his brother. Damon did not return the embrace, but he leaned in a little, and Elena hoped she managed to convey a lot in that single supportive embrace. Because, even if she feared Stefan's reaction, it was clear that Damon needed to be held, to be loved even, and Elena was never one to deny help or affection.

Later that night, Elena was visited by a crushed and hollowed eyed Stefan, worried sick about the state of mind of his brother. Apparently things had gotten from bad to worse, for Damon had confronted Anna and Pearl and learned that Katherine had been free all this time and even known about his whereabouts… Ouch… No matter how much she tried, Elena still couldn't believe that Katherine had fooled Damon into thinking that she was trapped in that tomb. It baffled Elena the lengths that Katherine had gone through to hide the fact that she was free and not rotting away as Damon had believed. Elena's heart burned with indignation for the humiliation Damon had gone through, for the years of waiting and longing wasted for no good reason whatsoever. How could Katherine be so cruel, so careless, with Damon's heart?

Stefan was so distressed that he never berated Elena for hugging Damon, and she was thankful for that small mercy. Elena tried to reassure and comfort Stefan the best she could, but he was full of sorrow, worry and misery, and could not be appeased. She begged for him to stay overnight, to sleep in the comfort of her arms, but no, he wanted to find his brother. So Elena let him disappear into the night even if Stefan left her in almost the exact same wretched mood he had arrived, making Elena feel useless at helping the vampire she loved. Nonetheless, she was a sister herself and she understood how much a sibling's pain can affect the other. Stefan talked a good game, but he loved Damon more than anything and anyone in this world and Elena knew it full well by now.

Despondent as she felt, there was nothing else to do but for Elena to shower and get to bed. Maybe tomorrow she would find new ways to help the Salvatore brothers, but being tired and sleepless was certain of not being of help to anyone, least of all to herself.

AN: Next chapter is where it starts getting interesting :) xoxo