Chapter Two.

Why don't you keep drinking?

Get me one night with you

If I didn't know better

Well damn it

I do

"Someone got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning." Elena said brightly as she sipped on her coffee.

"Not all of us can be so chirpy at six in the morning." Damon growled and threw himself on the sofa.

They were currently at SaltzLake Records studio, waiting for Alaric and Caroline to give them their itinerary for the day. Damon looked over to Elena, in those frayed denim shorts that highlighted those olive-toned legs and a loose white top that was tied at her waist. He could fight it as much as he wanted but god damn she was hot.

"You always were an early riser anyway," He smirked at her as she glowered at him.

"Let's not torture ourselves with the past Damon." She said simply and went back to studying her nails.

She was trying so hard to keep her eyes off him, she could hate his guts all she wanted but she couldn't deny that he was handsome.

"Sooner or later we're going to have to."

"I choose later."

"Of course you do." He said snidely as she walked towards him.

"Don't act like you're completely fine about this." She drawled and stood in front of him while his eyes raked over her figure.

"Oh I'm not, but we're in this together Elena, that means we have to try to get along. At least in front of the cameras." He smirked and tilted his head up so he was looking in her eyes.

The tension between the two of them was undeniable, what sort of tension though neither of them were willing to admit.

"I said get along not rip each other's clothes off." Caroline's voice called out as she walked into the room,

"We all know how that went the last time you decided to hop into the same bed." Alaric added as he closed the door.

"Please, I wouldn't touch him with a foot long pole." Elena walked away from him back to her earlier seat.

"That's not what it looked like a minute ago." Caroline said to her best friend.

"Let's just get on with this, shall we?" Damon said tiredly as he picked up the guitar that was resting at his feet.

"I've got an interview for you two with Ellen today and I need you to look friendly. Think you can do that?" Caroline said

"I'm a brilliant actress Care." Elena said staring at the guitar in Damon's lap.

"It's not you I'm worried about, exactly. I'm worried about the two of you together." Caroline said leaning against the desk beside Alaric.

"What makes you say that?" Damon said strumming on the guitar.

"Because you and her can't be in the same room as each other for more than a few minutes without throwing jabs at each other." Alaric interjected quickly.

"We know how to handle ourselves in the media Ric, it's not like we're new to the game." The star rolled her eyes and started pacing.

"We know that, it's just that you have a habit of being, well-" Caroline started to say before Elena was glaring at her.

"Well what?" Elena snarled.

"You're a liability Elena! Especially with these unscripted interviews! God knows what's going to come out of your mouth sometimes." The blonde sighed as Elena raised an eyebrow.

"I'll be in hair and makeup." She said before walking out, slamming the door as she went.

"I see what you mean about being a liability." Damon smirked.

She was a time bomb, just waiting to explode. Damon could see she was self-destructive. He was too. If he wasn't so repulsed by the idea he'd say they were almost alike.

"That doesn't mean you're a saint Damon." Caroline narrowed her blue/grey eyes at him.

"Oh I know. But at least I didn't sleep around to get where I am."

"She didn't and you know it. She is talented. Whether you want to admit it or not, she has something special and for some reason it shines even brighter when you're around." Alaric sighed as Damon ignored him.

He kept strumming the instrument on his knee, he didn't even realise what he was playing until Alaric placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You're playing it, you know."

"Playing what?" Damon asked annoyed,

"That song. The first song you ever wrote together. And that's what you and 'Lena are going to sing together later on the show."

"Like hell we are!" Damon growled placing the guitar on the sofa as he stood up.

"Yes you will." Alaric said with such a tone of authority that Damon backed down.

"Fine. But good luck trying to convince Miss-I-Don't-Give-A-Crap." Damon drawled as he threw on his leather jacket.

"I won't have to," Alaric said smugly as Damon turned around to face him.

"Don't try to tell me she'll accept this with open arms."

"We're not saying that. The beauty of the situation is that neither Ric nor I are going to tell her. You are." Caroline said brightly with her blonde curls bouncing around her face.

"If you think for a moment that she'll listen to me, you must be out of your mind." Damon growled as the two of them smirked.

"Oh she'll listen to you alright. Now go. If you want to be doing that interview in three hours you'd better start talking to her now." Caroline smiled sweetly looking up from her clip-board.

Damon rolled his eyes and walked out of the room, in search for Elena's dressing room. The second time in a week Salvatore, what are you doing? He thought to himself. He swung open the door to find Elena hunched over her vanity table with her hands in her hair.

"Elena?" He asked softly, not wanting to alarm her.

"What?" She growled not even bothering to look up.

"Are you alright?"

He pulled over a stool beside her and gently placed a hand on her arm. Being brought up the way he was, he couldn't stand to see a woman upset.

"I'm fine." She shrugged him off and he flew up from the seat.

"God dammit Elena! I'm trying! Can't you see that?"

"What does it matter? I don't want to do this! I never wanted to see you for the rest of my life and now here you are. Do you have any idea how that makes me feel?"

The two of them were screaming at each other now, though they should have known. They had always been passionate people, and together they had fought most of their relationship. But there would always be that attraction that would draw them back time after time.

"How it makes you feel? All of this was your fault to begin with." Damon said tiredly as Elena's eyes burned holes through his head.

"How was any of it my fault? You're the one who fucked everything up. Don't you dare try and blame it on me after it was something that you did!"

He looked up at her gently and saw the tears in her eyes. God it killed him to see her like this, but it was the first time he had seen her with actual emotion since they had been working on this tour. In a severely twisted way he almost enjoyed it.

"'Lay please don't cry." He soothed and sat down beside her again.

"I'm not crying. Even if I was I wouldn't want sympathy from you; not for a second time around. And don't call me 'Lay'."

"Try with me Elena. That's all I want. It's what we both need." He tilted her chin up with his finger so she was looking into his eyes.

"For Alaric." She whispered.

"For Alaric." He said back as she nodded her head.

"So why did Care and Ric send you in here?" She asked as Damon sighed, he knew their little moment was broken.

"They want us to sing on Ellen later. No points for guessing what song they want us to do." He quipped as she rolled her eyes.

"Of course they do."

"I thought you'd be more, you know," Damon started, looking away from her.

"More what?" She said venomously and he immediately felt guilty.

"More, for lack of a better word, Elena like."

"Elena like?"

"You know, bat shit crazy. Bitchy. Screaming to the high God's of music that you would rather throw yourself under a bus than do this." He chuckled awkwardly as her eyes grew darker.

"Get out before I show you exactly what a cold-hearted bitch I can be." She dared and crossed her arms over her chest.

Damon swallowed and winked at her.

"I'll see you later, sweetheart."

"Ugh," Elena looked down at him from her nose,

"Shouldn't we go over the song first?" She asked puzzled, Damon was always the one who would have pushed them to practice it first.

"We need it to be epic. And I'm pretty sure that will happen if we do it for the first time live." Damon said smoothly and walked out, leaving Elena to her thoughts.

How could he do this to her? Why did he still have that same effect on her that he did three years ago? It wasn't fair. She knew she sounded like a child, but it wasn't. She had worked so damn hard to get where she is and she would be damned if she let Damon bring her down.

They would sing and that would be it, she tried to convince herself. But a part of her wondered if it would be like when they used to, when she was so helplessly in love with him and those blue eyes never left her mind. She knew that if she felt like that again today when they sang she was damned.

"Miss Elena? We need to get started on your hair and make-up." The timid voice of the stylist called out, her head peeking in from the doorway.

"Well then you'd better get started." Elena answered coolly.

She'd had enough emotions for one day.

. . .

"Come on Elena, you have to be ready be now." Alaric called out from behind the locked door, giving Caroline and Damon and exasperated look.

"Beauty takes time Ric. And image means everything. You don't want me looking like a mess now, do you?" She shouted back haughtily.

Damon's patience was wearing thin, they were due on in fifteen minutes and they'd already had to cancel the sound check.

"Jesus Elena would you just-" Damon stopped when the door swung open, revealing Elena all prepped and ready.

She was in a tight white lace dress with her tight curls framing her face, he looked down to see her pale brown cowboy boots on her feet.

"You know, you're wearing an awful lot of white these days for someone as un-pure as you." He said snidely.

It had become a habit for him now, to say something hurtful to her when she looked so beautiful. If he was being honest with himself it was only so that he could cover up how badly he wanted her. Her body that is, that personality of hers ruined pretty much everything.

"Get over yourself Damon." She rolled her eyes as Caroline rushed to fix her dress as they walked briskly down the corridor.

"Pull your skirt down honey, this is a family show." He added as she glared at him.

"Cut it out." Ric said as he pushed the two of them into position, just off the set.

Elena rolled her head from side to side and took a few deep breaths, and then she put on her fake smile.

"Remember, play nice you two." Caroline scolded as she fixed the collar on Damon's shirt.

"Yes mom." Damon chuckled and stared at Elena.

If he didn't know her better he would have said that smile was genuine. Guess she was right about being a good actress.

"Our next guests are country royalty," Ellen's voice called out as Caroline and Alaric took a few steps back.

"They're both multi-platinum artists with numerous awards, please welcome Elena Gilbert and Damon Salvatore."

Damon winked to Elena as they walked out, waving to the crowd. They were met by the screams of the crowd as Elena went to hug Ellen and pulled back to let Damon kiss her cheek.

"It's nice to have the two of you back on the show," Ellen said smiling as Damon and Elena sat down beside each other, Damon slinging his arm around Elena's shoulders.

"It's lovely to be back." Damon winked.

"So the two of you are going on tour together all over the country, and this will be the first time you will be singing together?"

"Yes that's right." Elena drawled and leaned back into Damon a little more.

"So why the decision to do this now? I mean both of your careers are going extremely well and it's not as if you need to come together to bring in more money."

"Well, Ellen, Elena and I are a part of the same record company. When our manager Alaric Saltzman introduced us there was a little spark there, he told us we should sing together and then- here we are." Damon said smoothly as Elena stared up at him.

She wondered if Ric gave him the story while she was spending her time in her dressing room. She knew they had decided

"So purely because of the music?"

"The music's special to both of us. It would be a shame not to share it with the world." Elena answered as Damon smiled down at her.

"And that's the only reason? There must be a little romance."

"None at all." Elena answered quickly, her smile slipping for a moment.

"'Lay and I are too close, like brother and sister." Damon interjected, squeezing her shoulder slightly.

"We'll tickets for the tour go on sell tomorrow and right now I believe you have a treat for all of us."

"That's right." Elena said with a flirty smile.

"A little preview of what people will get on the tour." Damon smirked.

"I'll let you two go get ready. Elena Gilbert and Damon Salvatore everybody!"

The audience cheered as the two of them walked over to where there was two stool and a guitar balanced against the two of them.

"You slipped up earlier." He whispered in her ear,

"No one noticed, and what have I said about using old nicknames." She answered him quietly as she sat down on one of the stools.

"Thanks to me." He quipped, ignoring the last part of her sentence, as she looked at him pointedly.

He handed her a microphone- a gesture that was familiar to both of them. He strummed the guitar and locked his eyes with her- blue meeting brown- and neither of them looked away.

They felt that same connection they used to when the sang together, it was like as long as they had each other and their music nothing in the world could ever matter.

. . .

Flashback- Three Years Ago.

"Next up tonight at the Bluebird is one of our very own and a rising star here in Nashville. Everyone please welcome Damon and Elena!"

"Damon what are you doing?" Elena giggled as he pulled her from behind the till.

"We're going to sing." He kissed her cheek gently and smiled as she blushed lightly.

He would be lying if he said he wasn't attracted to her. She was so beautiful and she didn't even know it. They were just friends though, he convinced himself. She was far too special for someone like him.

"I am not singing in front of all these people!" She said as he pulled her to the space where the microphone's and the guitar sat.

"'Lay you'll be fine. Just look at me, sing to me. We're the only two in the room." He said as he placed a piece of her hair behind her ear.

"Okay." She smiled at him as he grabbed her hand and gave her a microphone.

If I didn't know better, I'd hang my hat right there

If I didn't know better, I'd follow you up the stairs

Stop saying those sweet things

You know I'd like to hear

The horns are blowing louder

And they're destroying me

Why do I keep drinking

Wasting my time on you

If I didn't know better

Well, dammit, I do

There's a hole in what you're saying

I can plainly see

You have a lover that's waiting, but baby

You're right here with me

Ooh

You might as well be the devil

Oh keeping me out past three

Oh you're the one with that apple

So baby, you can't blame me

Why don't you keep drinking

Get me one night with you

If I didn't know better

Well dammit, I do

You know that I do

Oh baby you're right here with me

Oh baby you know I do

When the both finished the song to the applause of their small audience he looked in those big brown eyes of hers and could only think about one thing. He was in love with her.

. . .

When the song was over this time around, the applause was louder and there was camera's rolling. But something was different. They weren't the same people they had once been, they had changed a lot in three years. Her, maybe the most.

But when Damon looked into Elena's eyes, just for a moment, he felt like he had three years ago. He saw something in her that resembled the girl she used to be.

She smiled at him, a real smile for once; not a smirk. And he reached for her hand, he was surprised to say the least as she let him take it. They were locked in their own little moment before the camera man yelled cut and she tore her hand away from his.

"Thanks for coming on the show guys," Ellen walked over and shook both of their hands.

"Really it's a pleasure to be here," Damon answered swiftly, covering for Elena who was studying her perfect manicure again.

"Always the charmer Damon," The older woman chuckled.

"I hope the tour goes well for both you." She smiled as she walked away.

"Would it kill you to be a little nice?" Damon asked as she cocked her head.

"I have a reputation that I need to keep up."

"Oh yes, the famous pain-in-the-ass Elena Gilbert. I heard you were more than just unpleasant to work with." He rolled his eyes as she moved from the stool.

"Everyone loves a bad girl." She folded her arms across her chest, refusing to back down to him.

"Yes Elena, because you're the role-model every mother wants their kids to look up to."

Elena just let out a breath and walked away, speaking quickly to Caroline before slamming the back door closed.

"The girl sure does like to make an exit." He rolled his eyes as Ric gently punched his arm.

"Let's discuss about lighter topics, like how amazing that performance was!" Caroline said giddily.

"It looked good on camera then?" Damon asked, but he already knew the answer.

"It was exactly what I'd hoped it would be. Hell, it was better!" Alaric exclaimed as the three of them walked outside, shaking hands as they went.

They kept chatting but as soon as they got to their cars Caroline stopped short.

"What's wrong?" Alaric asked, worry clear in his eyes.

Damon knew that Alaric looked at Caroline and Elena like his niece's, they were family. And Damon knew that even though Alaric was the closest thing he had to a best friend, besides his brother, he cared more for Princess Elena than he did for him.

"I need to go find Elena." Damon scoffed at Caroline and she narrowed her eyes.

"Look Damon, I know you're not her biggest fan, but she's my best friend. She's practically a sister to me. I love her and I know her better than anyone, she's not the girl you think she is." The blonde said sincerely before sliding into her car and sped away.

"She's right, you know." Alaric added.

"Don't start." Damon sighed and leaned against his precious Camaro.

"Give her time, the girl you used to know is still in there."

"Buried deep underneath the make-up, curling irons and anything that sparkles." Damon raised an eyebrow at his manger/producer.

"She's not that shallow. Today proved that if anything. Elena Gilbert is a brilliant actress but that was real earlier, there was a look in her eyes I haven't seen in far too long," Alaric paused before adding,

"Like I said, give her time. She'll come around."

"Come around to what? The tour?" Damon asked opening his car door as Alaric started his engine.

"The tour, and maybe something else." Ric winked and sped away, leaving Damon with his mouth open in the middle of the parking lot.

He knew he was screwed, ever since she'd sat herself down on that stool and started to sing. All those old feelings he had tried so desperately hard to cover up were rising to the surface.

But all he could hope for was that she would work with him on this tour, he missed the music. And that was the mantra that Damon said over and over to himself as he drove away. That the music was all he missed.

. . .

Elena sat curled up on her sofa, running her fingers through her curls. She didn't want to work with him, Damon Salvatore would bring nothing but pain to her life. She had to keep reminding herself she was doing this for Ric and for herself.

To save Ric's ass and to free herself. She let out a deep breath and went to answer the door when she heard the knock.

"Hi Care." She said tiredly and opened the door wide for her best friend to come in.

"I thought you might need a little pick me up." Caroline smiled at her as she walked into the kitchen.

"You know I don't eat that stuff," She scolded her friend as Caroline continued to pour the popcorn into a bowl.

"Well tonight you do. And right now, we're going to eat this and go watch Gone With The Wind and have a good cry, okay?" She grabbed Elena's hand and dragged her back to the sofa she was previously on.

"Okay," Elena said with a small smile as the snuggled in with Caroline.

As the film started Elena wondered about how she was going to cope with all of this. Damon had left scars on her that he wasn't even aware of and she wasn't about to let him know. He had hurt her so much that even the thought of letting him back in caused her pain.

But she had to. She knew she had to. And maybe, just maybe, the music would be enough this time. And as she let Caroline braid her hair she convinced herself that the music was the only thing she missed.

. . .

"'Lena? Elena, wake up! Look!" Caroline shook Elena awake and shoved a laptop in her face.

"What do you want?" Elena groaned at the brightness of the screen, it took her a moment to realise what her publicist was showing her.

"I don't feel like watching yesterday's performance back, Care."

"I didn't think you would." Caroline said brightly, practically jumping in her seat.

"Then why are you showing it to me?"

"Look at the amount of views in a few hours it has,"

"Oh my God." Elena breathed out just as she got a text.

I told you this would work ;)

-D.

She threw her iPhone to the side and ignored Damon's text, not even knowing how he got her number. But all she could really concentrate on was the fact that it had got 3 million hits.

3 million hits in such a short space of time.

Hell, maybe this would work after all.

A/N: Hi beautiful people! Have I said how awesome you all are? Another 10 reviews! You have no idea how happy this makes me :'). I know that Elena seems infuriating and bitchy but she has reason to be, she'll get to the Elena we all know and love eventually. The song I used is 'If I Didn't Know Better' from the TV Show 'Nashville'. I really recommend that you go watch on YouTube as there is a chemistry there that I really want Elena and Damon to have. Thank you all so much for reading, you mean the world! PLEASE REVIEW! Until next time! xox