Our kiss is long and soft. His lips and his touch are softer than I had dreamt they'd be. As we break the kiss to breathe, Damon opens his mouth to say something, but I silence him by putting a finger to his lips. I give him a small smile and move my finger from his lips to my i-pod on my lap. My mind starts racing as I scroll through my songs. I am trying to find the perfect song that expresses my feelings for him. I stop scrolling as soon as I see the title. As I stare at the title, some of the song's lyrics run through my head and I smile as I realize that this song is perfect. I turn to look at Damon who is staring intently at me with a sparkle in his eyes. I smile at him as I hit play.

The soft and slow music fills our ears. It is a mixture of violin and piano. My eyes drop from Damon's face to his knees. I'm a little embarrassed about sharing my feelings so openly with him and I'm nervous about what his reaction will be to what he hears.

Sweet love

Sweet love

Trapped in your love

I've opened up

Unsure I can trust

My heart and I

Were buried in dust

Free me

Free us

I have always been attracted to Damon. Yes, he is physically handsome, but I have always seen through his tough facade to the caring and compassionate man underneath. I knew that I was supposed to be with Stefan though, so I tried to make Damon's hurtful actions represent him completely, even though I knew that wasn't true. And the fact that I knew there was more to him, kept me trapped with him evading my thoughts and dreams. Since my parents died, I haven't fully opened up to anyone. However, I have always thought that I could open up to Damon and that he would listen and understand, but I have never gotten up the courage to until now. And that's because a small part of me does worry about him going over the edge. I can't have my heart broken so badly again. If I open up fully to him, he needs to fully open up to me and stay with me. But can he?

My eyes are still on Damon's lap, but I get up the courage to look up at his face to gauge his reaction so far. He is still looking at me, but the sparkle is gone in his eyes. He doesn't look angry or upset, just pensive. He gives me a small, somewhat sad smile, like he's reading my thoughts and understands my worries. I can't help it, I take his left hand in my right hand, give it a squeeze, and then with hands still entwined, I lean my head on his shoulder.

You're all I need

When I'm holding you tight

If you walk away

I will suffer tonight

I am relieved that he doesn't pull away when I lean my head on his shoulder, but he also doesn't move.

I've found a man I can trust

And boy I believe in us

I am terrified to love for the first time

Can't you see that I'm bound in chains?

I finally found my way

I am bound to you

I am bound to you

I tense as I listen to the chorus of the song. This is the first time that I've told Damon in any way that I love him in more than a brotherly way. With my head still on his shoulder, I tilt my head up to look at him. He notices my movement and looks down at me. He gives me another small smile, but this one is warm and makes me smile back. I feel his right shoulder starting to move, so I gently lift my head up and watch his arm swing over my head and land to rest on my shoulder. I lower my head back onto his shoulder. I feel his right hand begin to caress my hair and his lips plant a kiss on the top of my head.

I am so glad that Damon understands my feelings through the song. I do love him and I do trust him, but I can't just erase his past actions from my mind. I also can't free myself from him. To be honest, I've tired. I know that Stefan is a good man and a better match for me by societal standards, but I have something so unique and rare with Damon. For the longest time I tried to distance myself from Damon and see him only as Stefan's brother, but I never fully could. Both brothers always have my best interest at heart, but Stefan shelters me so much and has such a tight grip on me that I can't really live. Damon realizes that I need to make decisions on my own and that he won't always be able to protect me, but that he will always be there to pick me up.

So much, so young

I've faced on my own

Walls I built up

Became my home

I'm strong and I'm sure

There's a fire in us

Sweet love

So pure

I've built up walls around myself since my parents died. Damon is the first person to fully break through that wall. I've been through so much in the last few years, but Damon has always been there since he came into my life. It was Damon who figured out my self-sacrificing plan regarding Klaus before anyone else did. Stefan saw me through rose-coloured glasses, while Damon got into my head and found out what I was really thinking and planning.

I break my stream of consciousness as I feel Damon's index finger lazily drawing circles and figure eights on my shoulder and upper arm. I shiver under his touch. I feel my body warming all over. I respond by gently stroking my right thumb over the top of his hand that I am holding. I then feel him shiver under my touch. At the same time we both snuggle in closer to each other.

I catch my breath

With just one beating heart

And I brace myself

Please don't tear this apart

This feels so right. I wish that time could stop and we could just stay here like this. After we get out of this cab, we will have to think about Katherine, Klaus, and Stefan again. I want this to work out so badly, but I am wondering if it will. Will Damon be able to be the man that I need? If so, what will we do about our future together? So many questions begin racing through my head that I bury my face in his shoulder to stop them. Damon notices my sudden movement and I feel his hand leave mine and find its way under my chin. He gently turns and tilts my head up to his. Tears have started forming in my eyes and are threatening to spill over onto my cheeks. I am managing to keep them under control, until my eyes connect with his. I see the same combination of love and pain that I am currently feeling mirrored in his eyes. That puts me over the edge and tears start streaming down my face. He takes both of his arms and envelopes me in a hug. My head ends up resting under his chin.

I've found a man I can trust

And boy I believe in us

I am terrified to love for the first time

Can't you see that I'm bound in chains?

I finally found my way

I am bound to you

I am bound to

I am crying for my pain, Damon's pain, and especially for the pain that Stefan will feel when I tell him that I am in love with his brother. I really do love Stefan and I never want to hurt him, but I love Damon more. I have already been lying to him over the past year as my feelings towards Damon have grown. Stefan has questioned me about my feelings for Damon before and even though I have always denied feeling anything romantic towards him up until this point, I don't think my confession will come as a complete surprise to him. I have never loved someone like the way that I love Damon. My love with Stefan was safe and predictable, whereas my love with Damon is explosive and exciting. Because of who I am, my life will always be filled with danger, so if I am to be in love with a vampire, I would rather have my life and love be adventurous instead of placid. You only get to live once.

Suddenly the moment's here

I embrace my fears

All that I have been carrying all these years

Do I risk it all?

Come this far just to fall, fall

Oh, I can trust

When I picked this song I had made my decision. I had decided to throw away my inhibitions and listen to my heart instead of my head. The event that will solidify my decision will be telling Stefan that it's over between me and him. It will be hard on both of us, but it has to be done. I can't go on living a lie anymore. Not now that I have finally accepted my own feelings towards Damon and have shared them with him. As soon as we reach our destination and Stefan and I are reunited, I will break it to him.

And boy I believe in us

I am terrified to love for the first time

Can't you see that I'm bound in chains?

I finally found my way

I am bound to you

I am

Oh, I am

I'm bound to you

As the song fades away, I slowly lift myself up off of Damon. I take a deep breath to gain some courage and then turn to him.

"I love you."