Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or the dialogue from the show. They belong to the CW and L.J. Smith. I just like to play with them ;)

AN: As I did last chapter, I would really like to thank all the people who added me and my story to alerts and favorites! A special thank you to the people who reviewed; EtherealDamon, siiva, WhiteLines, xLoveRyanx and britvamp. The amazing support and opinions means a lot to me!

The newest episode inspired me and borrowed some more dialogue, because Stefan and Elena was so cute in the opening sequence. Also a little Bonnie because of her awesomeness in the episode. Can't wait to see where Damon, Alaric, Jeremy, Stefan and Bonnie (read: Team Badass) are going in the the next couple of episodes. So without further ado, here's the new chapter. It took a little while longer than I anticipated, but as an award for good patience I give you the longest chapter yet.


Her eyes traced the lines of his peaceful face. While sleeping, he looked so much more like a normal teenage boy than a vampire. Sleep probably did that to everyone, making them look more innocent and angelic.

"You're staring." Stefan said it in a sleep-muffled voice. His eyes were still closed, but after all he had supernatural senses.

"I'm gazing," she answered. Her voice was calm. Her breath like feathers stroking the space around them.

"It's creepy." That deserved an eye-roll and a playful punch to his side.

"It's romantic," she said, defending herself.

He threw himself over her capturing her mouth gently but fiercely at the same time. Forget coffee, this was the best way of waking up ever. His lips traced their way down her next, leaving a trail of kisses. She turned it around and soon it was her on top. She wanted to be in charge right now.

It was so tempting to stay in bed with his magic hands and lips and…everything. Ah, why did he have to be so good? The mere thought of it. Ah.. "Ok, I… I need to be in the shower."

"Love it. Let's go." Stefan was in a playful mood today. She could take advantage that later and who knew what would happen then. Her mind played with the thought for longer than necessary. Cold shower, cold shower!

"No, just me." She got up, while he laid there with a pout on his face. It kind of reminded her of… Stop. "Maybe later though?" His smirk matched hers. It was so good for her to get her mind off things and just be a normal, hormonal teenager once in a while.

"See you later." With a wink she closed the bathroom door.

"I'll go out hunting," was the last thing she heard before the water drowned all other noise.

'Let's paint the picture of the perfect place
They got it better than what anyone's told ya
They'll be the King of Hearts
And you're the Queen of Spades
Then we'll fight for you like we were your soldier's'


Elena POV

The water from the shower had really helped me. In more ways than one. I carefully rubbed some of the moisture out of my hair, leaving it less dripping wet, before I wrapped the towel securely around me. With no sign of Stefan being back, his room was empty. Crap, I hadn't brought a change of clothes. Oh, well, there were plenty of clean clothes in this house. After all I had borrowed stuff from Stefan before.

Not wanting to snoop around in his closet, I made my way down the hall to the laundry room. The washing machine was working almost soundlessly, and clean clothes were hanging on row after row of clothing lines. I found what I searched for. A pair of black boxers and dark grey shirt in a soft fabric.

I really didn't want to run into Damon right now. Trying my best to remain unnoticed, I hurried back to Stefan's room. The boxers were too big, but comfy. I could use my bra though, so I put it on and the borrowed shirt over. All in all it made me decent. I pushed up the sleeves on the shirt and took in its pleasant smell.

My phone buzzed on the nightstand. It was a message from Bonnie.

Hi. We need to talk. Where are you? –B

I hoped something wasn't wrong and texted back quickly.

Boarding house. Something wrong? ~E

It buzzed again seconds later.

Not seriously. But have to see you. –B

I thought about it, typed in the answer and clicked the 'send' button.

Ok. The Grill at 5? ~E

Ok, see you. –B

It was probably going to take a little while before Stefan got back and I was getting really thirsty. Since Damon hadn't approached me upstairs, he was either downstairs or out. I hoped for the latter.


Damon POV

A morning drink was a necessity. Especially these day when the happy couple upstairs took an unfair advantage of my good hearing. They had "entertained" me enough last night and this morning I thought they were going at it again. Luckily, they didn't. Stefan had gone out hunting and Elena kept herself busy in the shower. How I wished that it was me on her mind…

I mentally slapped myself for thinking of her again. The promise I had made myself about taking a step back and minding my own business had lasted only a few hours. I cringed at the thought of yesterday's event at the liqueur store. What on earth had happened there? No alcohol was in my system, so that was not the case. It truly was going to be an unsolved mystery.

From now on, you are going manage at least 24 hours without seeing Elena, caring for Elena, thinking about Elena, fantasizing about Elena and watch over Elena, I told myself. It was going to be difficult as hell. Especially when she was in my house all the time these days. And while she was here, she spent most of her time trying to ignore me or making sure she was kissing Stefan when I was in the room. She was wrapping me around her little finger without even knowing it. Like she had been doing the last couple of months. At least then she would look at me. Now she was just making me jealous and having me feel like I was a lovesick puppy. I had to get it together. Trying to distract myself I picked up today's newspaper. How long had it been since I even bothered giving it a glance? Longer than I could remember.

My plan only worked for about seven minutes and 34 seconds. That was when I heard her coming down the stairs. I shifted in my chair, wondering if I should remove myself from the kitchen. I stayed put. One glance in her direction couldn't hurt, I convinced myself. I regretted it as soon as my eyes touched her. How could I forget that she was here when she was wearing that?

'I know we got it good, but they got it made,
And their grass is getting greener each day,
I know things are looking up, but soon they'll take us down,
Before anybody's knowing our name'


Elena POV

Of course Damon was in the kitchen when I wanted to get a glass of water. Sitting there just minding his own business with a newspaper and a glass of scotch on the table in front of him. It seemed like he was everywhere that I went. But after all, it was partially his house and I was the guest, so I didn't have much right to tell him where he could or couldn't be.

At least I didn't have to look at him right now. Just have the glass of water and leave. He cleared his throat, indicating that he wanted to say something. I tried my best to ignore it, taking a glass out of the cupboard over the kitchen unit.

"You could at least have the decency to ask," he said. The words hung in the air. I was confused.

"Ask what?" I said annoyed. I still didn't turn around to face him, but made my way over to fill the glass with water from the sink.

"Before you borrow something," he stated simply. I heard the sound of pages flickering from the newspaper he was obviously browsing through.

I put an innocent look on my face while I turned around halfway to face him. "Oh, I'm sorry Damon. Did I take your glass?" My voice didn't sound sorry at all. The water was good and cooling.

He was closer when he spoke again. "Not the glass. My shirt." He stated simply.

Huh? "This is Stefan's shirt," I said, while turning around. Almost like I was convincing myself of the statement. I hadn't mixed up Damon's and Stefan's shirts, had I? He was standing right behind me.

"I think I know my own shirt," he said with a smirk. "You can clearly see it on the label too. John Varvatos. Stefan doesn't have that much sense of style."

I frowned. Always gloating. "You mean the type of style were you care so much about what you wear that you could be mistaken for being gay?" My tone was smug. That silenced him a little and I took the opportunity to get away.

He was in front of me before I reached the stairs. "Did you just call me gay?" I pulled that innocent look again. He took one step closer. "Tsk, tsk, Elena. You know very well that I could prove that statement otherwise," he smirked and waggled his eyebrows. Sweet temptation. I had to think clearly and his cool breath on my face wasn't helping. Do something. Anything!

I motioned with one finger for him to come even closer. We stood pressed up against each other and he was looking me directly in the eyes. My lips barely brushed his when I spoke. "Damon," I said in a voice that indicated that surrender followed. His eyes waited expectantly.

"I think you're just overcompensating." My normal voice crushed both his hope and my own. I rushed up the stairs before he could catch up to what had happened.

Well inside Stefan's room I grabbed the shirt and took a whiff. Obviously it was Damon's familiar scent that lingered all over it, and not just from the encounter seconds ago. I breathed it in, like it was a drug. Heavenly… I shook the thought out of my head and pulled the shirt off and replaced it with one that surely was Stefan's. But in the back of my mind a question was forming. How had I not noticed the difference?

'Do you think I'm special?
Do you think I'm nice?
Am I bright enough to shine in your spaces?
Between the noise you hear, and the sounds you like
Are we just sinking the ocean of faces?'


Stefan POV

Never fully satisfied, but at least not thirsty. I was feeling full when I entered the boarding house, using the front door now. My hearing picked up on Elena's breathing upstairs. No sign of Damon. He was probably out bothering somebody else but me. I spoke too soon. On the railing of the stairs a note caught my attention.

St. Stefan,

I'm guessing your "hunt" didn't take that long.

You really should change up your diet, you know. Poor, innocent bunnies.

Sincerely,

D.

P.S: Tell Elena that she is more than welcome to borrow my shirt. She looked really tasty…

It was so Damon to figure out ways to bother me even though he wasn't even there. I knew that I should probably just have brushed it off as nothing, but the thought of Elena in Damon's clothes kept nagging in my head. Trying not to seem rushed I just walked calmly upstairs.

Almost all the worry was gone when I saw Elena sitting on the bed, definitely wearing my shirt. She looked amazing. Her attention was completely turned to the book in her lap. I was silent, but not that silent. It looked like she was deep in thought.

"Hey," I said softly, afraid to startle her.

"Oh, hi," she said with a smile. I sat down on the bed next to her and she kissed my cheek before resting her head on my shoulder. I had to ask.

"Have you used one of Damon's shirts today?" My voice didn't have any emotion in it. I hoped that she didn't take it the wrong way.

"Oh, about that…" She started and I looked up at her.

"I got them mixed up. I thought it was yours." Her expression was sincere but there was also a slight trace of guilt.

I showed her the note and she scoffed, "Of course he would do something like that." But then her mood changed and she was laughing. I just looked at her, feeling the puzzled look on my face.

"You know I called him gay?" She said still laughing.

I choked back a laugh. "Really? You called Damon gay?"

"Mhm," she said looking pleased. "But I know someone who's definitely not..."

"Oh, really?" I said with a wink.

She didn't answer. She just stroked down the front of my shirt and kissed me deeply.

'All the right friends in all the right places
So yeah, we're going down
They've got
All the right moves in all the right faces
So yeah, we're going down'


Elena POV

I knocked on Bonnie's door still smiling to myself. Even in these unpredictable times, Stefan would always find a way to make me happy. My mind reminded me that Damon had a little something to do with it this time, but I didn't want to think about that now. I couldn't let him distract me from Stefan. But the temptation was still there. I had almost kissed him today. I had wanted to kiss him.

Bonnie took thankfully took away my thoughts by answering the door.

"Hey, come on in," she said, looking a little strained.

"Thanks," I answered, my happiness faltering a little at the sound of her voice.

She closed the door behind me, locking it.

"So, I ran into Mason Lockwood this morning." Her voice was a little unsure.

"Okay?"

"I actually bumped into him, quite literally. When I touched him, I saw something."

"Something helpful about the werewolves I hope." I tried to lighten up the mood, but her face was still serious.

"Not exactly. I saw you."

"Me?" I had barely seen Mason since he arrived in Mystic Falls.

"Yeah. Is there something you want to tell me? Is everything okay with Stefan?"

I was suddenly worried. "Why would something be wrong with Stefan? Please just tell me what you saw, Bonnie."

She let out a breath. "I saw you…kissing Mason."

"What?" This was completely absurd. "Are you kidding me?"

"No, I'm not joking. What were you doing with Mason?" She was eyeing me suspiciously.

"Come on, Bonnie! You know I would never…" My voice wavered off. Oh crap. I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of that.

"But Katherine would," I finished.

"Katherine?"

"You didn't see me, you saw Katherine."

"Oh crap," her thoughts mirrored mine.

I had my phone out in a flash and dialed the familiar number.

Stefan answered after three rings. "Hey beautiful." He was still in a good mood.

"Stefan, get a hold of Damon. I'm bringing Bonnie over to the boarding house," I said quickly into the speaker.

"What's wrong? Are you guys okay?" His voice was urgent and worried.

"Bonnie has some interesting information. Katherine and Mason are working together."

'Everybody knows, everybody knows where we're going
Yeah, we're going down
They say
Everybody knows, everybody knows where we're going
Yeah, we're going down'


AN: A teeny, tiny cliffhanger there. Even though I used this, it doesn't have to go down like in the series you know. Since it's my first one and that meaning I'm very much a rookie, I hope that it gets the 'Seal of Approval' from you guys. Song used in the chapter is All The Right Moves by One Republic.

As mentioned, the reviews mean a lot to me and they also inspire me a great deal when you give your opinions. It's up to you. One click away from giving me a piece of happiness and inspiration.

Disclaimer: The song and lyrics belongs to the respective owners, not me.