A/N: This is my first fanfiction. I'm excited to share my story so reviews are welcome. :)

Summary: Story set after season 2 episode 22. I haven't seen season 3 yet. Stefan has disappeared with Klaus. Elena is in trouble and Damon is left to take care of her.

Pairing: Damon and Elena

Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries.

Retreat

It happened so fast. Damon appeared at my window and growled, "we have to go. Now!" I didn't ask questions. The serious look he gave me was enough to convince me. Damon is never serious. He always has that cocky, sarcastic, expression in his voice. This time, Damon was different. He was rushed and by the way he just appeared and demanded we leave I knew there was trouble. My life has become very dangerous and unpredictable since I learned that vampires exist.

Damon grabbed my school bag, dumped it as he tossed it at me and said, "pack!" He went back to the window and looked out. Turning to me, he repeated "now there's no time to explain."

"Grab some clothes and whatever you need out of the bathroom. We will be gone for a while," he said, as he grabbed a chair, slammed the bedroom door, and wedged the chair under the door knob.

"Damon you're scaring me."

"Just do it."

I was already shoving my things into my bag. I grabbed a few pants and shirts. As I ran to the bathroom, I heard a loud crash and instantly knew it was the front door. The sound of glass breaking from the downstairs followed. I heard Damon yell, "times up!" and I ran for my bedroom window slinging my bag around my shoulders as I went. My heart was in my throat and as I reached for Damon, he pulled me against him and rushed us through the window.

As we hit the ground he pushed me to the street taking down a waiting vampire as he went. He had come fully prepared with wooden stakes. I always thought it was kind of ironic that vampires used the very thing that could kill them to defend themselves.

His car was waiting. Damon had left it running and the driver side door was wide open. He beat me to the car, opened the door and shoved me in. I looked backed as we drove off watching for someone to follow but no one did. We were already gone and it was too late for them this time.

As I look back on that night, I find myself wondering what if Damon hadn't been there. He saved me. It's very hard for me to look at him the same way I used to. I was always so angry at him for not caring and acting out by using people like he did with Caroline. Now that Stefan is gone, he's sorta been my protector.

She's safe now. They can't hurt her here. I can hear her heartbeat slow and strong as she lies in bed sleeping peacefully. She's alive and I'm going to keep her that way. It's been a month since Stefan decided to play hero and become part of Klaus's posse. What was my brother thinking? Why did he save my life? I tormented him for years, threatened Elena, and didn't really try to keep Elena at a distance. The jealousy was there, the hatred and condescending lectures. I just don't understand why he would give up everything for me. He gave up everything just to get me the cure. He knew that Elena would be alone. No. Now that's not exactly true. Stephan knows that I would die to save Elena. He's told me that in a roundabout awkward kind of brother talk. But he knows not to leave her alone with me. I would never hurt her but that doesn't mean I have to continue to behave myself around Elena.

Since I'm thinking about my close call with death, I might as well admit that it made me consider some of the things I've done. How humiliating that I became so pathetic and sentimental there at the end. But you know I thought I was going to die. Guess I forgot to do the vampires can push away their feelings trick.

Damn Stefan for leaving at a time like this. He has put Elena in more danger than he knows. Klaus has ordered that his little vampire friends kidnap and bring Elena to him so that he could continue to control Stefan. He may even have her killed.

I discovered this while they were torturing me. Guess I was getting too close to finding Stefan and figuring out what Klaus is up to. I may be strong but I'm no match for a dozen vampires older than me and feeding on human blood.

Speaking of blood, I can practically feel Elena's blood pulsing through her. I'm going to have to feed soon. Too bad I didn't have time to do a little packing for myself.

She lay there watching him. He was staring out the bedroom window lost in thought. He hadn't left her side all night. She wondered where his mind was. Was it in the past or the present? Sometimes she couldn't be sure. The Salvatore brothers were so haunted at times.

He looked over at her and caught her staring at him. She didn't try to hide it. Wondering just how long she had watched him, he walked over to her and knelt by the bed taking her hand in his. He leaned in staring at her trying to gauge if the shock had worn off. They had gotten close. If he hadn't been beaten so bad he could have gotten there sooner. Problem was he had to stop for a little blood so that he could get his strength back. Even then, it wouldn't have been enough to take care of the vampire group approaching her house. Elena would be really angry if she knew about his little impromptu snack. She hated that he fed on human blood. Hello Vampire. It's what he does.

"You ok?" he asked. She was a tough one but a lot had happened recently including losing her aunt. Elena had dealt with a lot of loss. He wasn't sure how much loss she could take. And now that Stefan was gone…

"Yeah. Are you going to tell me what's going on now?"

"It's Klaus. He's decided that he needs you to keep Stefan inline. He can't hold him to his word forever so he needs more leverage."

"Oh my gosh, Damon. What are we going to do? You can't protect me from all of them by yourself…."

"I can and I will. You are safe here Elena. I won't let anything happen to you. You know that." Her brown eyes glossed and he knew that she was close to crying. She didn't like to cry or show emotion in front of him unless you count when she was angry or slapping him. He reached for her face and pushed her hair behind her ear resting his hand lightly on her cheek. "It will be okay."

"How?" she said raising her voice. "How is it going to be okay? Stefan is gone and he's probably drunk on human blood and you don't have any more vampires here to back you up and I….I'm sorry. I'm not being very grateful to you for saving my life."

"Well I did expect a little gratitude," he said as he smirked with that crooked smile he always wore when he was being cocky or smart about something. "After all I did just single-handedly help you escape a dozen vampires bent on eating you."

Elena smiled and some of the fear and tension from the last several hours began to leave her face. His hand still rested on her cheek and he gently smoothed her smile line with his thumb. Her face became very serious again and a small tear escaped her eye as she asked, "He's not coming back is he?"

Damon wiped the tear from her cheek as he leaned into her and whispered, "I don't know."

He stood up and moved to sit on the bed beside her as she sat up and scooted over to give him some room. She leaned into his chest as his arms came around her. He sighed and rested his cheek on her head.

"Elena ten years isn't long to a vampire, but ten years to a human can feel like forever. I don't know why Stephan chose to save my life and I can't complain, but I'm sorry that he had to leave you to do it."

"Me too. What are we going to do?"

"I don't know yet, but for now I think that it is best if no one knows where we are. Elena, that means that you can't try to contact anyone from home. It could put them in danger."

"You're right. Jeremy is going to be worried sick. So is Bonnie. Couldn't Caroline help us? She is a vampire."

"I've already given her instructions on how to get here. She is bringing me some blood. A guys gotta eat and since I'm not fond of taking up Stefan's diet of the Bambies and Thumpers of the forest I need some blood fast. She's not staying though and she can't tell anyone else where we are so don't ask. It's a risk that she is even coming here."

"Damon where is here?"

"Here is a little place Stefan and I took over a long time ago. We've kept it around for when we need to disappear for a little while. It's got one way in and one way out and it's very isolated. No one knows where this place is but us and we need to keep it that way."

He had to leave Elena to herself for a while. Damon needed to feed and the pulsing of her blood through her veins was getting to him. He only had so much control around her. Being a vampire intensified everything including the need that'd been buried inside him for a while. After all, she is his brother's girl.

Damon locked the bathroom door. He really needed an Elena time out before he did something stupid and impulsive like usual. He really needed to feed. Leaning over the tub he rolled the cold water nozzle on to full blast. He needed to cool himself down. His hunger was more of a roar now than a dull ache. Maybe the cold water could take away his need for blood.

Sliding down into the freezing water he tried to think about how much longer it would take Caroline to reach them. They were hours away from Mystic Falls and he had instructed her to go the long way through the forest. Eh… she was a vampire, she could handle it.

Just as he was thinking he was going to be okay without feeding for a while, Elena knocked on the bathroom door. "Damon are you ok? You've been in there a long time and you haven't eaten."

"Go away Elena, I'm fine."

"Damon what's going on?"

"I'm hungry. That's what! Now stay away from me." He couldn't help being mean to her. He needed to keep her safe.

"Okay, Elena whispered with a twinge of fear in her voice."

Good. She should be afraid of him now.

"Damon let me in," she called.

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea now." Gee bunnies were sounding better all the time.

Caroline was sure that she was going to kill Damon by the time she found the log house. It was amazing and beautiful. He had made her trek her way through miles of trees and deserted forest. Didn't this place have a freaking road! What was this, some kind of forest preserve? She was sure her clothes were ruined and it wasn't easy lugging a huge bag filled with blood around even if she did have vampire strength. Yes. She was definitely going to stake him herself. Too bad Alaric wasn't allowed to come or anyone else for that matter. He had said it was important.

Elena heard the door downstairs and tensed. "Damon," she called through the bathroom door. "Damon I think someone's here."

"It's just Caroline. I can hear her complaining and contemplating my certain death involving a stake. I'll be out in a minute."

Damon quickly dried off and wrapped the towel around his slim hips. He did feel a bit better. Not worrying about his clothing, he opened the door and sauntered down the stairs getting a glimpse of Elena as he went. She was a little surprised that he was half-naked. Good he thought.

"Damon Salvatore!" Caroline huffed. I can't believe you. Can't you just get your own blood. You come up here for a vacation and I have to drag myself through the middle of nowhere just so you can camp out here all cozy and wow you don't look so good."

"Calm down Blondie," he smirked. She had leaves and a few pine needles sticking out of her hair and it was really obvious she may have tripped in the mud a few times. "I'll explain everything, but now I need this," he said as he ripped the bag out of her hands and grabbed a hospital blood bag she had gotten from his fridge. Tearing it open he downed the blood quickly. If she had been any longer he would have eaten the bag too or…possibly Elena. Good thing he had some control.

"What's going on?" Caroline asked as Elena rounded the corner from the stairs.

"It's Klaus," Elena whispered.

Caroline had been very good to cover her tracks. She had gone back to Mystic falls so no one would realize she had left. Damon didn't want to take any chances that they would be found. He sat in a chair by the fire drinking as usual. Elena was glad that he was a vampire because at this rate he would be an alcoholic by now.

"Hello Elena," he said as he stared into the fire and downed his glass. She hated when he did that. Vampires were impossible to sneak up on. She moved to sit next to him on the little couch leaning into him for comfort. She wished Stefan was here. She needed him. And while she needed him he was off playing vampire buddies with Klaus. She groaned and put her head in her hands.

"Can't sleep?" Damon asked as he sat down his glass and watched her. He wrapped his arm around her waist as she leaned into him.

"Yeah just thinking."

"Anything you want to share?"

"Nothing you probably want to hear."

"Oh come on Elena. I'm right here. It's about my brother isn't it."

"I'm sorry. It's just been months since we've seen or heard from him and I need him now and he's not here."

"I'm here Elena," he said as he lightly pushed against her side so she would move closer. He thought she might be ready to cry again. She leaned her head on his shoulder and they sat there for what seemed like eternity. Just the two of them. No sounds. No talking. Just the physical contact and quiet between them.

Elena turned her head and stared at him for what seemed like forever and admitted, "I know Damon. You are always here for me, saving me," she said as she turned away.

"Elena." Damon couldn't help but feel this was a very bad idea. Steffy was not going to be happy about all this sentimental time they were spending together. But Stefan wasn't here and he was.

She leaned against him again and taking her chin in his hand, running it up her jaw and resting it on her check, he turned her face toward him. "Elena we will be fine." Her dark eyes searched his and he knew she was lost. He may be takeing advantage of her but he couldn't help himself. He leaned closer trying to gauge her reaction. As their mouths came together for the lightest of kisses Damon could feel her kiss him back. His hand moved to the back of her neck to pull her close. As he deepened their kiss, she sighed and pulled away just enough to part their mouths.

"Damon…"

"Elena no, don't say it. Just this once let it be what it is."

Elena considered his words. She thought about Stefan and how he'd left her. She considered that he was never coming back and if he did, his humanity would be lost. Could he get it back? Would he still love her? Does he even care? He hadn't even called any of them.

Damon had been there for her, loved her, saved her, and healed her. He was doing all those things again now and she still couldn't let go. She thought about the part of Damon that scared her. His irrational, impulsive, deadly, I don't care attitude.

Then, she thought about the Damon she had come to know and love. Did she just say love? He cared about her. He had given her time. Time to decide who she wanted. He had kept his feelings from her until he lay dying in her arms. Elena knew that something broke between them in that moment. The moment he told her he loved her and had begged for her forgiveness. She thought about the way his arms felt around her. Would she have any regrets? Was this wrong, trading one brother for the other? Did she really love him or was it that she needed him now and he was all she had.

"Elena," his voice came back to her and broke her thoughts. "Elena what I said, when I was sick, I meant it. You know and I think you've known for a while."

The flood that washed over her was strong enough to break the dam she had built. The water poured over her, drowning her, she couldn't breathe, couldn't think. His words came back to her. "What I said, when I was sick, I meant it. You know and I think you've known for a while." And after the kiss they'd just shared. "Elena no don't say it. Just this once let it be what it is."

And just like that she did just let it be, what it was, what it is, what it had become.