Elena snuggled in closer to him and closed her eyes. Part of her was scared to go back to that night but she trusted him and knew he would not allow her to see anything that would hurt her.
She marveled at how his gentle and soothing words 'Trust me' had changed so much in the last two days. The first time he had said that was when he was trying to sooth her when the wolf was scaring her. Then he had begged her to trust him when he was coming onto her, very much without her permission and scaring the hell out of her, just so he could get close enough to the wolf to strangle him to death. She had not had anything close to the faith in him that she had now. She was trusting him with the worst night of her life right now but she knew everything would be okay.
She felt his fingers around her head and then as she took her next breath she blinked and heard his velvety voice calling to her. She felt his hand twined in hers as he spoke. "Open your eyes, baby," he whispered, his breath against her ear.
She looked around her. They were standing in the woods in the darkness with no one else in sight. She could here the distant sounds of the party she had wandered away from to call her mom. "Damon, I thought you were going to show me..."
But he shushed her with his finger on her lips. "I will. I promise. I just thought you would like to see this first. She looked around her, and held tight to his hand as he led her out of the trees to the side of the road. She nearly gasped clutching his hand tighter as she saw Damon and her talking in front of them. She had no idea what was happening. He wrapped his arms around her and she leaned back into his strong body.
"They can't hear you," Damon confirmed as she wondered why no one turned toward them when she had gasped. "I wanted to show you when I met you for the first time."
She closed her mouth, her eyes glued to 'Past them' just a few feet away from them. That Elena had just seen him and was turning her head around looking behind her when he had called her Katherine.
"No, I uh. I'm Elena," 'Past her' said sounding cautious and curious of the stranger in front of her. Elena could hardly believe Damon could relive this for her.
The 'Past Damon' looked surprised and was fumbling with his words thinking she was Katherine. She saw herself staring at him and wondered what she would have been thinking.
"I'm sorry," 'Past Damon' said. "You just really remind me of someone. I'm Damon."
"Not to be rude or anything Damon, but it's kind of creepy, you being out here in the middle of nowhere."
"You're one to talk," he replied quickly. "You're out here... all by yourself."
"It's Mystic Falls. Nothing bad ever happens here." 'Past Elena' said back, raising her arms casually.
Elena could not help but laugh at how completely untrue and naive that statement was. If only she knew what the next months had in store for her little quaint town.
Damon rubbed his hands down her arms also seeing the amusement in her innocent statement. "Shh, I know what you mean. You had no idea about all the supernatural secrets in your town." He wrapped his arms around hers again. "But listen baby. Watch us." She put her hands on top of his and felt his chin lean on the top of her head.
She listened to her past self talk about Matt. And saw 'Past Damon' smiling at her. It looked like he knew her already the way he spoke to her. He knew what she wanted. 'Past her' looked very curious and she could see a hint of a smile on her face at the dark, handsome man.
"What? A mysterious stranger who has all the answers." 'Past Elena' was grinning in amusement. She was intrigued by him and his boldness, she could tell.
She turned her head back to Damon and he kissed the side of her cheek, his head nuzzled into her neck as they watched.
She saw 'Past Damon' step closer and closer to her as he spoke. "You want a love that consumes you. You want passion, adventure and even a little danger." His voice was so low and husky as his eyes bore into hers. She wasn't the one standing in front of him right then but she could just imagine feeling his breath on her face, her throat getting dry as she took in the intensity of this hot stranger. 'Past her' was smiling from ear to ear and her guard looked down as he stood right in front of her. It was like she was attracted to him already.
'Past Elena' looked deeply into his eyes. "So what do you want?"
Damon kissed the side of her neck, "You," he breathed in her ear. "All I want is you."
She felt her legs weak under her as Damon dragged his blunt teeth along her throat. He had never sounded so sexy.
She watched a look of surprise cross 'Past Damon's' face, as he looked like he wasn't sure what to say. But before 'Past Damon' could answer they heard a car horn and Elena watched in shock as her parent's car pulled into view.
"Oh my God Damon, my parents!" She let go of his hands and stepped forward toward the car as it pulled to a stop as she saw 'Past Damon' compelling 'Past Elena' to forget him. She walked closer and closer to the car in amazement of seeing them alive again.
She stood there seeing 'Past Elena' smile at them as she walked toward the car. Suddenly 'Past Elena' just vanished and Elena turned and stared at Damon in curiosity.
"What happened Damon, where did she go?" He smiled at her and walked to stand beside her.
"I'm manipulating this vision in your head Elena. I can't stop what is going to happen to all of you but wanted to give you a chance to say goodbye."
Her eyes widened as she took in what he said. She could hardly believe it. "You mean they will be able to hear me?" She saw him nod slowly at her as he moved a strand of hair to tuck it behind her ear.
"Yes, baby. They will answer back too. As long as we aren't interrupted in real life I can give you as long as I can."
Her mouth was agape as she grabbed him around the waist and pulled him into her arms. "I can't believe this. Oh wow." She took a deep breath and turned to the car as she heard the door open and slam back closed.
"Ellie? Who is this with you?"
Elena watched her mom get out of the car and step closer to them. She looked so beautiful. Her long brown hair fell past her shoulders. Her smile and the softness in her eyes was almost too much to handle. In all the months that had past, Elena had started forgetting how beautiful and young and so full of warmth her mother always was.
Damon leaned in to her ear. "To answer your mother. Yes, they can see me. Just say whatever is in your heart, angel."
Elena cleared her throat and took a few shaky steps forward as tears started to pool in her eyes. "Mommy?" She let go of Damon's hand and nearly ran into her mother's warm embrace. Her arms around her felt so good. She did not dream of ever being able to hug her mother ever again.
"Yes, Elena. I'm right here." Her mom pulled back from her hug to look in her eyes. "Are you sure you are okay, honey?"
Elena choked on a sob in her throat and nodded slowly. "Oh mom, I just never thought I would see you again!" She dove back into her arms and held her mother so tightly. She could smell her perfume, feel the softness of her long hair and the way she squeezed her just as tightly back.
Then another car door opened and slammed closed. "Miranda, is she okay?" a low voice spoke.
Elena lifted her head from her mom's shoulder and sniffling and wiping her wet face, she turned toward the voice. "Daddy?" She saw the man smile at her but still pass his wife a look of confusion probably at the way she was sounding.
She let go of her mother and stepped into her dad's arms. She felt him kiss her head and smooth her hair down her back. She started sobbing in his arms and just clung to him, her tears soaking his shirt.
She finally lifted her head from his shoulder and looked back and forth at both of them in utter amazement that this was possible.
"Ellie, are you drunk?" her mother asked, her tone trying to hide her displeasure at the possibility.
Elena sniffled and wiped her tears on her shirt. When Damon had made her past self disappear she realized she was wearing the exact clothes she had on that night; her tight dark washed jeans, white tank and long sleeved pink shirt.
She smiled at her mom stepping back from both of them, just to look at them. "No, I'm not drunk. I promise you. I'm just so happy to see you!"
Her dad furrowed his brow as he looked at her. "You just saw us at supper Elena. Are you sure there is nothing wrong? Why are you crying?" He looked warily at Damon standing back silently. "Did this guy hurt you?"
She shook her head again. "No. God, no. He would never hurt me. I'm fine Daddy, really." She stepped back and grabbed Damon's hand again and pulled him forward. This felt like the chance to show them the amazing man that she loved so much.
"Mom, Dad, this is Damon Salvatore." She watched them both eying him inquisitively. Her mother was the first to step forward and offer her hand. "It's nice to meet you Damon."
He smiled at her and shook it firmly. "Nice to meet you too, Mrs. Gilbert," he said politely. Elena looked up in his eyes, just treasuring the moment seeing the man of her dreams meeting her parents. She did not want this dream to end.
"Salvatore eh?" Her dad walked closer till he was right in front of them. Elena had not even realized that she had tangled her fingers with Damon's one hand again and saw her dad looking back and forth at both of them.
Damon nodded. "Yes sir."
"Are you related to the Salvatore's that founded this town?" Her dad's eyes were locked on Damon's.
"I just moved back. My Uncle is Zach Salvatore. We live not far from here at the old boarding house." He squeezed her hand as he held her father's gaze.
"How old are you? Aren't you a little old for my daughter?" He said curtly and his eyes fell to their entwined hands.
"I love your daughter, sir. I realize that I am older. I'm 25. But I have never met anyone as amazing as your daughter." He turned to her and smiled down at her. "She is so kind and loving, and is always thinking of others first. She is such a great friend and I feel so lucky to have met her."
Elena was beaming up at him and laid her head on his shoulder, her arm around his waist. She was in awe of his sweetness toward her dad sounding like he was interrogating him to see if he was good enough for her. It definitely sounded like how her dad would be. Matt was a long time family friend so he had received no such examination.
Her mom interrupted them. "Grayson, honey. I'm sure it's fine." She moved to stand by her husband and hooked her arm around his. "Just look at your daughter's face, Gray. She is glowing."
Elena smiled back at her mom while nuzzling into Damon's side. "I am mom. I am so happy. Damon is more than I could have ever hoped for." She shivered as he ran his hand through her hair to rest it on her shoulder.
"I can see that sweetie. Is that why you have been resisting the future Matt was wanting for you? Because you didn't see your future with him?"
Elena remembered that this was the night she had decided she needed to let Matt go and that he wasn't right for her and her mom had talked to her about that.
She cleared her throat. "Um, yeah mom. I can see my future with Damon. I really can."
Her dad coughed and looked like he wanted her attention. She turned back to him. "I'm sorry daddy. I know you just met him. But I love him, I really do."
Her dad's frown softened and he smiled at her. "I believe you, baby girl. Just give us chance to see what you see then." His eyes turned to hers showing her all he wanted was to protect her. "Damon?" he turned his focus back to him. Her mom was nodding to her dad, smiling.
"Yes, sir." Damon answered.
"Miranda and I would love to have you come and join us for pizza and family game night next week. Would you be free?"
"Yes sir, I'd love to come." Damon smiled and reached to shake her dad's outstretched hand.
Grayson nodded at him and then turned back to her. "Ellie, we need to get you home. It's getting late."
Elena sniffled and her hand still tight in Damon's, started shaking.
He leaned down to her ear. "I'm sorry baby. I can't hold off reality forever. We need to let them go. It's getting hard to keep holding this dream together."
Her eyes were wide as she nodded and sniffled again. She let go of him and walked back to her dad. "Daddy, I'm so sorry I bailed on game night tonight. I feel terrible about it. I love you so much." She rested her head on his shoulder and felt him hold her tight.
"It's okay, baby girl. I forgive you. Let's just get you home." He patted her back lovingly.
"I'm so proud of you daddy! You coming to the games to watch me cheer meant so much, daddy. You have taught me so much and will never forget you."
Her mom reached over and put her arms around them both. "Okay sweetie. You are talking crazy now. I think its time to get you to bed."
Elena shook her head just treasuring being in their arms again. The tears were freely flowing down her cheeks now. "Mommy," she sobbed. "I'm so sorry for all the times we've fought. I know I'm stubborn and I don't think about you and how hard you work. I know I should have been home more and not always out with Bonnie and Caroline. I sorry didn't think of anything other than cheer leading. I'm so sorry Mommy. I miss you so much. Jeremy misses you and he got so messed up without you."
She was so overcome with grief knowing what was going to happen. She was not ready to lose them that she had no idea what she was all saying.
She felt an arm slip around her waist and slowly pull her back and out of her parent's arms. "Hey, hey angel," Damon pulled her to him, turning her around to face him. He had his hands around her face, his thumbs tracing her cheek bones. "Baby, I can't stop it from happening. We have to let them go, baby."
She buried her face in his chest and just held so tight to him. "It's going to be okay. I'm right here. I'll never leave you. Just hold onto me."
She looked up in his eyes, tears still running down her face. "I know, I know. It just hurts. It hurts so much Damon. I'm never going to see them again."
Then she saw 'Past Elena' was back and started getting into the car with them and start to drive off. Elena fought his grip on her and held her as she sunk to the ground watching them driving away. He fell down with her and he held her sobbing on the pavement as the car kept driving till it was out of sight.
Elena startled and jumped back. She looked around and saw she was back in Jeremy's room. Damon was sitting still on the bed, leaning back into the headboard. His face looked hard to read, like he was unsure if he had done the right thing bringing her back there. His head was down, his eyes focused somewhere down on the bed past her shoulder.
"I'm sorry Lanie," he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know what I was thinking."
Her eyes snapped back up and she grabbed him by the back of his neck. "Damon," she pulled his head up level with hers, but he still didn't look at her. "Damon, look at me." He swallowed and lifted his eyes. Deep chocolate was locked on sweet blue.
She wrapped her arms further around his neck and pulled him closer. "No, Damon. Thank you! Thank you sooo much!" She pulled back and studied his confused expression. "You have no idea what it meant to me to talk to them to hug them again. Wow, Damon, I got to introduce you to them and tell them I loved you!"
The smile that she loved so much slowly tugged at the corners of his mouth.
"I mean it Damon. I got to say goodbye! I got to tell them how much they meant to me. It was so surreal and you could not have given me a greater gift!" Her tears were still falling and she whimpered as his hand came up to cradle her face and wipe away her tears. She threw herself back into his arms, her arms tight around his neck as the tears flowed.
They just stayed like that for a long time, him just rubbing her back on top of his shirt, whispering reassurances in her ear as she clung to him.
After a few minutes she lifted her head, her eyes red and puffy from crying, voice shaking. "Please don't think you did anything wrong. That was incredible. Even seeing you meet me the first time. How you smiled, how your eyes shone in the moonlight, how you told me everything I wanted and everything I found in you. That was amazing."
He was grinning now, his eyes misty too with emotion.
"But Damon, what about our kiss? You didn't show me our kiss." She wanted to know. It might be hard to remember nearly drowning but she needed to see what happened between them.
"I can still show you, Lanie. If you are sure. It might be really overwhelming... what you were feeling right after the accident."
"I'm okay. I know it could be scary for me but please show me."
He nodded warily. "Okay, but this time you cannot control anything. It will happen exactly as it did. You will not see it in front of you, you will experience it as if you are feeling everything. I will put you in your own mind at that time and then you can feel what you felt then."
She nodded rapidly, her face a combination of trepidation and excitement. "I understand. Any way I will see it is great Damon. I trust you."
He dug his hands into her hair holding her head still as he closed his eyes. She closed her own, her hands clinging to his wrists.
The next moment she heard someone yelling and gasping and she was already scared that she should not have taken the risk to go here. She looked around and felt that she was dripping wet and her body cold.
"Elena! Damn it Elena! Don't you dare die on me!" She heard a man's voice even in the haze of her body feeling so weak. Her eyes were still closed and she felt hands on her chest, pressing on her. Then she felt lips on hers. Warm, soft lips covering her own and she melted at the feeling of security she felt from those lips. But they were not kissing her, she felt breath race into her lungs and then more pounding on her chest.
"Elena, come back to me! You can't leave me now. Come back Elena. Fight!" She wanted to fight. She wanted to find her way to that soft, sweet voice. She wanted to feel those lips on hers again. She was shivering and could feel water forcing its way up her throat. Then she was gagging and coughing and felt arms around her lift her up and help her to her side as she spewed water out of her mouth.
"That's it, baby. Get it all out. You are going to be okay, I promise you." The hands were pounding gently on her back as she coughed and the she felt them cradle her in his arms. It was a him. It had to be. The low, velvety voice was the sexiest voice she had ever heard. She felt him holding her in his lap and her hands fell to her sides. She could feel grass underneath her fingertips and could hear the water lapping nearby.
Oh God, she remembered! She was drowning! She remembered her parent's car going over the bridge. She had seen her mom, motionless in the front seat as the car flooded with water so fast. She didn't move or fight the water as it raced in. She heard her dad, trying to talk calmly to her. That it was going to be alright. That they would get out of there. But she could see on his face that he had no faith in his words. The doors were stuck, the windows were too strong to break under the pressure of the water around them. There was no way out.
She reached out in front of her, her hands flailing for anything to hold onto. Her fingers met the slick wetness of a leather jacket and she gripped the collar, as the images of the accident kept flooding her mind. She still had not opened her eyes and finally tried to force her eyelids to cooperate.
She blinked once then twice, her vision fuzzy. She saw a face in front of her. She reached up with one hand, the other still had a death grip on his jacket. She pulled his face closer to hers, the hand that reached up found the back of his neck. The images of the crash kept assaulting her brain; her dad frantically slamming his hand on the window, her mom's arms starting to float in the water, as she choked up realizing she was gone. Her calling her dad's name as she reached out for him and held his hand as she mouthed I love you to him.
She had not even realized when the man's lips touched her own. She was being torn between her mind racing through the horrific events and the warmth of his lips on hers. She moaned and pulled his head closer, not wanting to ever let go. She ran her tongue along the seam of his lips and he instantly opened his mouth and the taste of him raced through her. She clutched at his head, feeling them falling more to the ground. He leaned over her, his hair tickling her face. She felt his fingers in her hair, felt his breath on her face.
A small part of her thought she should still be choking and needing oxygen after nearly drowning but for some reason she could breath and all she wanted was to not ever stop kissing this man.
She had felt like her world had just been ripped apart watching her parents in that car. She wanted to die with them but she had thought of Jeremy and kept fighting. She had no idea how she had gotten out. But right now, all she wanted was to bask in the rush of electricity that coursed through her as he kissed her.
She heard him groan against her mouth as she tugged on his hair, pulling him even closer, her lips fusing with his. She felt his hands in her wet hair, his body pressed up against hers, his one leg between hers. His rough stubble on his cheeks scratched at her smooth wet skin as she hungrily captured his taste in her mouth.
The feeling of his kisses, her curves against his hard body, his tongue tracing the inside of her mouth was making her forget that horror of her nearly drowning. Each time he touched her, pulled her closer to him, plundered her mouth with his, she felt the images of her dad's panic, her moms pale face, her lungs filling up with water, slide further and further from her mind.
She wanted to hide in this mans kisses forever and not face the horror that reality would bring. She wanted to disappear in the passion she was feeling and never let go.
"Elena," the man rasped against her mouth as she ran her fingers into his silky, wavy locks. "What are you doing to me?" he breathed out, his voice thick with emotion and hunger; like this was as meaningful to him and it was to her.
She was barely able to grasp that she did not even know his name. Her vision was still very fuzzy whenever she opened her eyes. There was barely any light from the night sky. Just a sliver of the moon allowed for her to make out the shadows of his face.
The sound of sirens wailing in the distance startled her senses. She pulled back from his lips, still desperate to know who this mysterious stranger was. And when she saw him open his eyes, pure, ice blue stared longingly back at her.
Wait...mysterious stranger? Blue eyes? Leather jacket? She could not make out the color of his hair against the night sky but somehow she knew. "Damon?" she breathed out, her hand up caressing his cheek to run down and tug at his kiss swollen bottom lip.
She felt things spinning all of a sudden and she gripped his jacket tight between her fingers. Her eyes started closing as she pulled his face back down to hers till his cheek rested against hers. "Don't let me go," she whimpered. "Please don't ever let me go." And then as the sound of the sirens got closer and closer she blinked once more, hoping to see his face again but it was too late.
"Damon?" she cried out one more time. But she did not hear his answer. Her eyes closed and everything went black.
"Elena!"
She jumped again, feeling arms shaking her as her eyes flew open. She was back in the bedroom again. Damon's eyes were wide with concern for her.
"Hey, angel are you okay?" His mouth was pressed in a firm line, his shoulder rigid. He looked worried about over. Had he seen what she had? Was the dream as real to him as it had been to her?
She let out a long breath. "Yeah, I uh think so. That kiss was amazing. Just wow, I had no idea. I am so glad you showed me."
Damon furrowed his brows at her. "Are you sure you are okay? You sounded so scared. I could see you in the dream when I brought us back but I could not tell what you were feeling."
She shook her head. "I'm okay. Really." She glanced outside still seeing it so dark wondering what time it was. "I'm with you baby. I'm perfect. But let me thank you myself for everything you just did and said to me."
She pushed him down in the bed and started kissing him slowly down his chest. She lapped at the smooth skin as she felt his muscles twitching in response to her kisses. She smiled against him as she heard a moan low in his throat as his hands gripped her hips tugging her closer.
"Mmm baby, you feel so good," he gasped out and threw his head back.
"So do you," she whispered back to him, swirling her tongue in his belly button while her hands slide down to his hips and started pulling the pajama pants lower. She sucked on a spot just on the side of his hip, just like he had done to her. And she could still see the red love bite in such an intimate place.
"God, Elena," his hands were in her hair as she bent lower licking down the side of his hip and his fingers pulled on her hair.
Just then they both heard a cry from the other room and the sound of gagging. Stefan was up and in pain again. She looked sadly back up in his eyes, and saw the want and ache for her to not leave in his expression.
She sat up and started buttoning up his shirt quickly. "I know. I'm sorry. I'll be back. Just stay there and wait for me honey. We have forever." Her face showed sadness at her next words. "Stefan may only have tonight yet."
He smiled at her. Knowing she was right. He sat up and pulled her lips to his once more as she got the shirt all the way buttoned up. Then she slipped out the door and down the hall.
He flopped back down and stared at the ceiling, and determined to wait for her. But his eyes got heavy very quickly and fell closed as sleep over took him again.
The air was cold and she breathed in a gasping breath. The sound of the chains clinking against each other broke the silence of the night. She blinked, blood dripping down her arms, the droplets hitting the cement floor with loud agonizingly, torturous, rhythmic precision.
Blood slid down her face, caking it with new wet blood to cover the dried blood that was there from earlier that evening. Every muscle she had ached. Her hands were up, pulling on her vervained wrists that held nearly her whole body weight.
She felt the night air against her battered body, the cold slipping into each tear in her dress that hung bloody and torn from her pale skin. She could feel something metal in her wounds, keeping them open to not allow her to heal. She could hardly keep her eyes open and blinked away the blood wanting to block her vision.
She focused all her remaining strength and called out in her mind. He needed to hear her. She felt her eyes closing again. Her senses were too overwhelmed with the pain. She called again before they fell closed and darkness took her once more.
He sat up, his eyes darting around in the darkness. Sweat soaked his body as he squinted his sleepy eyes. There it was again. He looked around trying to understand what just happened.
"Katherine?" he gasped out.