Elena had finished getting ready and sat on the bed watching a movie while she waited for Damon to reappear. He finally walked back into the room not making eye contact with her and she couldn't help but laugh.

"What's so funny?" He looked up at her and she froze.

"Ah... funny line in the movie." She was pretty pleased with herself for her quick thinking until she realised Damon was looking at the TV screen with a confused look on his face. She internally cursed herself for not remembering that she had put Paranormal Activity on.

They finally made their way downstairs after finishing getting ready and into a cab where Elena handed the cab driver a piece of paper with the address on it. She held her hand over his eyes while doing so hoping he would just let her surprise him. For once in his life he didn't squirm or fight her. He actually wanted her to pull this all off as she had put so much planning into it.

As they made their way in the cab he looked out the window thinking how much the city had changed since he lived there years ago and yet it still somehow felt the same. The shops, the banners, the colour of the paint on the buildings had changed but the city itself had that same spirit to it had all those years ago. He looked over at Elena and she was wide eyed looking at everything she could out the other side of the car while the cab driver weaved in and out of traffic.

They pulled into a street that seemed familiar to Damon and he looked over at Elena who turned and looked at him with a content look on her face. She was relaxed and didn't have a worry in the world right now. The cab driver slowed to a stop and Damon looked out the window and couldn't believe where he was. He quickly handed the driver some money and jumped out of the cab and stepped out in front of his favourite Blues Bar, Singing the Blues.

"Unbelievable."

Elena stood next to him and couldn't help but feel over the moon that she had pulled this all off. She actually got them all the way to the bar without another stupid vampire, werewolf or Klaus interrupting them.

"I thought this place would be long gone. How did you find it?" He hadn't even looked over at her while he spoke, he was still just staring at the bar in front of him.

"I googled it."

"Figures." He put his arm round her shoulder bringing her into his chest and kissed the top of her head.

"Thank you Elena. This really is the best surprise anyone has ever given me. Now let's go inside and see if it's the same inside as I remember it."

He walked inside with his arm still around her shoulder and she put her arm around his waist not wanting to forget this moment. Amongst all the drama of the last few years she wanted to take this moment away and remember everything about it because she was actually happy right now, something that rarely happened anymore.

When they walked inside it was exactly as Damon had remembered it. Sure it needed a fresh coat of paint and some of the furniture was falling apart but that's what made it so entirely perfect. There was a small stage at the back where there was a piano, a set of drums and a few other instruments set up for anyone who could and wanted to play. To the left of the stage there was an old man sitting on a bench playing the saxophone and Elena felt like she had walked into a movie set. It was exactly how she imagined a blues bar to be. There were maybe only ten patrons in the whole bar alone, one of which was the saxophone player and another a woman behind the bar. The rest of the patrons were sitting on sofas, or leaning against the bar and everyone was really keeping to themselves. She thought it was weird nobody was really talking but then she realised what they were all doing. They were all so connected to the man on stage and the song he was playing at that moment and she finally understood what blues music was all about. It was truly impressive.

"I understand why you would escape here Damon."

"Ah you think you have me all figured out don't you Elena?" He was grinning down at her and she was giving the same look right back at him.

"Far from it, but every new thing I learn about you gets me one step closer to it." Damon rolled his eyes at her and walked them over to the bar.

The bar tender walked over and she looked at Damon with a confused look on her face like she was trying to figure something out. She was an older woman, Elena guessed her late 50's but was still fairly attractive for some one that age.

"What will it be guys?"

Damon was laughing at this point and Elena couldn't figure out what was so funny.

"We will have one scotch and for the lady what about a nice glass of your best red Lizzie." The woman looked at him still trying to figure out who he was but she couldn't grasp the memory.

"I'm sorry? Have we met before?"

"I just have a really good memory Lizzie. I used to come here back in the day." He flashed his eyes at her and she leaned into him slightly still trying to place him.

"You would think I would remember a face like that huh?" She had directed the question at Elena and they both raised their eyebrows smiling, both for very different reasons.

Elena looked over at Damon who was obviously very pleased with himself. "I don't want to know ok."

"I don't know what you are referring to." He handed Elena her drink and she just shook her head.

They walked over to a couch and sat together and just listened to the man playing for a while. Elena was completely taken in by the music and she understood what Damon said about the music speaking the soul. Damon refreshed their drinks and when he sat back down he placed his arm around her shoulders. She didn't even hesitate to move her head onto his chest. It was just them and the saxophone and she felt so at ease and comfortable.

The man played for a little while longer until he finally took a bow and walked off stage. Elena felt like she was being awoken from a dream and looked up at Damon who seemed to be in the same place as her.

"What now?"

"Now the real fun begins Elena." As he said this a group of men had started to walk onto the stage and pick up various instruments. She watched them with fascination as they started to play and the bar came alive. The music was upbeat but still had a sense of soul to it. She was completely amazed at how quickly the atmosphere around them had changed and people were now bobbing their heads along and talking and laughing again. She suddenly noticed how full the bar seemed to be a with such a diverse group of people. Damon was back with her third glass of wine for the night and she assumed he had lost count of how many he had had. He was obviously a little tipsy and suddenly she realised she was too.

"Ok no more of these ok. I think this should be my last drink of the night." Damon rolled his eyes at her knowing he would not let that happen.

"Whatever you say Elena."

"I'm being serious Damon. I can't be completely drunk. We have to get home somehow and I'm sure as hell not stumbling round the city trying to find our hotel."

"Oh relax. I'll get us home in one piece. Remember, vampire." He pointed at himself while saying the last word and she couldn't help but laugh at him.

"Yes but you're a complete ass as well." He rolled his eyes again but joined her laughing.

They stayed at the bar for awhile longer and Damon managed to get another glass of wine into her without even trying. She was giggling at all his crude and lewd jokes and they talked about his time in New York and before long the bar was starting to clear out. They decided to leave and stumbled out of the bar laughing hysterically about nothing in particular. They jumped in a cab and before long they were walking into their room back at the hotel. Elena grabbed some clothes to sleep in and disappeared into the bathroom to change. Damon slumped down on her bed waiting for her to return.

"Don't even think about it Mr Salvatore. You have your own bed right over there." She jumped on the bed and started to push him off of hers which made Damon groan in defeat.

"But it's after midnight Elena which means technically it's my birthday. Now I think you should be really nice to me and let me sleep with you for the special occasion."

"Not going to happen. Come on time for bed." She finally managed to get him off her bed and she jumped under the covers before Damon even got a glimpse of what she had chosen to wear to bed.

"Fine."

"Fine." He walked around the other side of the bed glaring at her now. He slipped off his jacket and threw it on a chair in the room and followed it up by slowly unbuttoning his shirt knowing she was watching him. He slipped it off and threw it on the ground and moved his hands down to his jeans. He undid the buttons and then the zipper slowly revealing his black boxers and letting the jeans drop to the floor at his feet. Elena had watched the whole show with fascination unable to tear her eyes away from the little strip show in front of her. Finally Damon looked her in the eyes and she immediately started to blush.

"Sorry." She rolled over away from Damon to try and cover up her embarrassment.

"Don't be sorry. You the one who missing out on sleeping next to this sexy body." She heard him lay down on the bed and she immediately cursed herself for getting a room with two beds. She didn't know why she didn't take the opportunity to sleep in the same bed as him. Just for him to be next to her was abruptly very appealing.

"Fine you can sleep in my bed." She didn't even have a chance to finish the sentence before Damon was laying next to her.

"Good cause I was going to join you anyway." She laughed at him again and thought to herself how amazing it was that he continued to make her smile and laugh through most days even with everything going on around them. She really treasured the fact that he was the only person who could do that for her.

"No funny business ok." Damon nodded but he had an intense look on his face like he was looking at her for the first time. They looked into each others eyes and she couldn't help but be shocked at how beautiful he really was. In these moments when it was just the two of them and he let his guard down, he was the most beautiful man she knew.

"Damon?"

"Yes?"

"Happy Birthday."