Erased

Author: XxArtemisxX

Editor: lady sovereign

A/N: This is a one shot form S2/E08: Rose. This is the final part in the episode when Damon comes to Elena's room with her vervain necklace and he tells her that he loves her and then makes her forget.

What if I told you who I really was
What if I let you in on my charade?

What if I told you what was really going on
No more masks and no more parts to play

Theres so much I want to say
But Im so scared to give away
Every little secret that I hide behind
Would you see me differently?
And would that be such a bad thing
I wonder what it would be like
If I told you

~Jason Walker: What if I told you

He played with her necklace while thinking over the words he was going to say to her.

He heard her footsteps closing in towards the bedroom and for a moment, Damon wanted to bolt. He immediately crushed the thought though. There was no running from this. She had to know. Even if it would only be for a second or two.

"Cute PJs," he pulled the corner of his lips in a sort of half-smile. Elena stopped at her tracks and immediately looked uncomfortable.

"I'm tired, Damon," she said, perfectly sounding the part. After all, it had been an "eventful" day.

Damon stood up from the window seat, "I brought you this," he said, holding out her vervain necklace as he took each step closer to her. Elena's eyes widened ever so slightly.

"I thought that was gone." There was honest surprise in her voice. Damon shook his head, coming to a stop just a few strides away from her.

"Thank you," she smiled breathing a sigh of relief which was immediately gone the second he moved the necklace away. Elena's eyes darkened with suspicion. "Please give it back."

"I just have to say something," he took a step closer and she moved back. He could hear her heart beat accelerating.

"Why do you have to say it with my necklace?"

Damon contemplated the question, trying to figure out a way to provide an answer that wouldn't freak her out immediately.

"Because what I'm about to say is—" he stumbled, searching for the right words, "probably the most selfish thing I've ever said in my life."

Elena took a deep breath and he knew she was on to something, "Damon, don't go there."

"I just have to say it once," she shifted back with every step he took towards her, "you just need to hear it."

They were standing so close now, he could almost feel her breath grazing him. He locked eyes with her, memorizing the shape of her face, the exact color of her eyes and the stream of emotions that ran though that warm chocolate brown. Even if she wouldn't recall this moment again, he would and he wanted to remember every detail in every second of it.

"I love you Elena," he whispered, pursing his lips as he looked for the next words. "And it is because I love you that…I can't be selfish with you. Why you can't know this. I don't deserve you." He stopped for a heartbeat, trying not to let anything bitter into the next words. Only simple honesty. "But my brother does."

She hadn't uttered a word yet. Silently listening without interruption, understanding that he needed to do this.

She was always so understanding, always so kind, so loving, so courageous, so…unselfish. So unlike Katherine. And it was time that he too needed to let go of his selfishness this once. For her sake. So that he could protect her and be with her, even if it had to be from the sidelines.

He moved even closer, taking away the distance between them and softly kissed her forehead. She didn't push him away, didn't protest but remained silent. He pulled away slowly, trying to prolong what was to come next.

"God, I wish you didn't have to forget this," he lifted a hand to brush the few stray strands of hair from her cheek, lingering awhile longer than was necessary. "But you do."

A tear escaped his eye as the compulsion worked to make her forget the last few minutes from when she had spotted him intruding into her room. He had to do this even though his heart screamed otherwise. This was him being selfless for the first time in about a century and even though it hurt more than he could describe, this was for her and that's all that mattered.

When she blinked, the vervain necklace was back where it belonged and he was gone like the memory that had been erased.

A/N: This is the first time I've attempted a TVD fic. I'm a huge Delena fan and I hope you like this one shot. Reviews will be much appreciated and constructive criticism is always welcome. If you like this chapter, I could write another chapter for this fic from any of the other delena moments in the series. I've watched TVD till the seadon 3 mid-finale so you can place requests from any of the seasons in your reviews and if I get enough positive responses and the green light to continue, I gladly will.

Thanks for reading. ^_^

~XxArtemisxX