CHAPTER 4 – "Normal Life in Mystic Falls"

We trudged through the whole thing. After leaving the plane, we had practically dragged ourselves through security and through baggage claim. Once we took our suitcases - I had three because I'd bought present for others but also because I didn't exactly have much in Mystic Falls whereas Damon only brought a duffel bag but he insisted on pushing the cart with our suitcases.

When I scolded him for not buying things for others, he found a loophole by saying he didn't care about any one else but me and that was right before his fingers ghosted around my wrist. My eyes moved down to find the beautiful diamond and sapphire bracelet. I wasn't really one for jewellery but I really loved the bracelet – mostly because he was the one to give it to me.

He was lying, conniving man that had charmed his way out of a fight. It was scary and exciting with how much power he held over me.

After claiming our luggage, we began to make our way towards the exit and each step only made me more fidgety. My steps would be hesitant and my grip on Damon's arm tightened but he was kind enough not to say anything although I highly doubt I hurt him.

Damon noticed that I was biting my nails so he paused in his movement, brought his hand up with a mocking scowl before pulling it away from my teeth and taking it into his hand so I complied by lacing my own fingers with his, fighting the urge to get back to my human habit.

Even though he was wearing his usual calm and composed epression, I knew he was also nervous because he would frequently run his fingers through his hair but also I knew this because of the fact that he wasn't making any snide comments or joking around like he had been doing in the past month.

As we closed into the exit, my breath hitched as I locked eyes with the automatic glass doors but we changed direction as Damon grabbed my elbow and took a detour towards the bathroom.

"I don't need to go" I whispered and he stopped outside it, spinning around to face me.

I was surprised with the childish mischief that sparkled in his hypnotising blue eyes before he whispered huskily, "This maybe our last few moments together so let's make it count" inclining his head towards the bathroom stalls and waggling his eyebrows.

When it dawned to me what he meant, I felt myself swoon and part of me urged me on but I fought back my selfish desires as I tried to be responsible for both of us, "Damon we have to get going" although I knew I was fighting a lost battle when his fingers went under my shirt and trailed up my spine making me shiver.

"Please" he murmured, nuzzling my neck and that was enough to waver my reasoning. He knew how to push all the right buttons and I couldn't help but say yes to him every time. We were like rabbits – I swear.

For a while, I battled with myself and gave in so I forced myself to push him away again only to meet the confusion and disappointment in his now dulled bluish-grey eyes making him look absolutely adorable.

Learning from him, I smirked and began to walk forwards with a palm onto his muscled chest which caused him to stumble backwards as I forced him into the immaculate airport restrooms. Once we were inside, I hitched an eyebrow "You've got 15 minutes to rock my world"

His arm went around my waist to pull me close to him again before he scoffed, "At least give me a challenge"

-XxxxX-

Smug bastard.

Now that he'd gotten some, he couldn't keep that shit eating grin off his face as he drove us down the town in the 'rented' Maserati Mc Stradale which I don't think will be taken back.

I looked back at my canvas, proud to be the owner of the fingers that had messed up his sleek black streaks. I was honoured to be the one to put that freshly fucked glow on his face as he smirked at the road – no doubt thinking back to our time in the airport bathrooms. Even his blue eyes had brightened behind the dark ray bans.

My hone rang removing me from my daze and I answered it and put it on the dashboard after putting it on speaker. "Yello…" Damon's smirk grew with my greeting.

"Hey…where are you?" her voice sounded breathless like she'd been running.

I glanced at the time and found that it was only 9:32. Our flight had arrived on time but we delayed leaving for a while when we were supposed to be at Elena's house at 9:00 like I'd told Bonnie. Neither one of us was particularly excited to be back in Mystic Falls but a witch's gotta do what a witch's gotta do. "Don't worry Bonnie we'll be there in a few minutes" I tried assuring her.

"What if she tries to escape again?" she fretted and I could tell that she was still making her way to Elena's house as I could hear her rushed footsteps.

I rolled my eyes at her unnecessary worry. Must I always think of everything? I wondered how they survived for a month without me not caring how egotistical that sounded. "Seal her in the house" I concluded with a shrug earning an amused look from Damon.

"Are you sure?" she began to worry again and I could hear that she'd stopped walking, "She will be pretty mad" her voice had lowered and I assumed that she had arrived at Elena's house now.

"I know that" rolling my eyes again, "Would you rather have her die a happy death or angry but safe?" challenging her with my rhetorical question.

She sighed, "Okay" I could practically imagine the small crease that formed on her forehead when she was feeling apprehensive.

"Where are you now?" Damon finally spoke appearing to have broken free from his daze.

Bonnie's sounding steps were heard again before she answered, "Standing on her porch" followed by the low sound of three raps which told us that she had arrived.

"Well we'll be there in a few" I calmed her again.

She sighed once again but her voice didn't sound so low as she replied with a light, "See you then"

"See you" reaching over to grab my phone and switch off the call before falling back onto the chair.

A shiver ran through my spine and I felt the familiar hum of electricity flow through me which caused me to snap my head up to look outside the window and it was then that I found we had arrived.

We were now in Mystic Falls.

-XxxxxX-

We'd been driving for a five minutes and we were now closing into Elena's home. I was even more fidgety than I had been while we were at the airport. Not only was I gnawing on a nail, I was also using the other hand to drum my fingers on the seat or I'd remove my feet from the dashboard and sit up or change my mind and lay back onto the chair.

I couldn't seem to find a comfortable position.

Finally I settled on crossing my legs beneath me on the chair as I sat in a lotus position but continued to bite my nails but Damon was so deep in thought, he was yet to notice.

I wondered what he could be thinking about. Was he also worried about his feelings? Was he still unsure about how he felt about Elena?

"How does it feel to be back in Mystic Falls?" Damon's taunting tone pulled me away from my crazed questions filtering through my thoughts.

Once I processed his sarcastic words, I turned to him and he offered an innocent smile which only infuriated me more as I rolled my eyes, "Like I'm walking on sunshine" before turning me head to look back to the road and angrily snarled, "How do you think I'm feeling?"

He chuckled darkly at my irritable mood and I was both glad that he wasn't offended by it when he teased me, "Glad to know you're taking this well" he smirked and this only pleased me further because I knew that he was feeling better as he was slowly getting back to his old self.

I stopped biting my nails and groaned before my rambling left my lips, "Stefan's trapped in a tomb with Katherine and now we've got someone asking around for Mason and Bonnie's met some other warlo-"

"Stop" he interrupted me and stopped the car and I looked around only for my breath to hitch when I looked up at Elena's house. Oh fuck! Damon didn't let me think any further as he cupped my cheek and whispered, "Stop worrying" his voice was dark and husky and I leaned in to him.

Still the worries still trembled through my mind and I shook my head, "How can I stop worrying when they're so much shit around?"

His fingers pushed back my hair before capturing a lock between his fingers and smiling to himself, "We always deal with these things" he assured me still twirling my hair on his index fingers before reaching down to place a comforting palm on my face, his thumb slowly stroking my cheek.

"It's this town…" I shivered as I scanned my surroundings, "…so fucking creepy"

Damon chuckled again before composing himself but there was a glint sparkling in his gorgeous blue, "Hey that's my hometown you're talking about" he teased me with a mock seriousness.

Still, I felt guilty for my snide remark so I apologized, "I'm sorry" sighing once again as I looked around, "It's just…"

He nodded in understanding, "I know" he whispered in a hush tone and leaned in to place a soft kiss on my lips, leaving me wanting more but he pulled back and added, "I promise once we've sorted everything out, we're on the first flight to Rio" he grinned happily.

I hitched an eyebrow and moved back away from him to get a clear look on his face before calling him out on his words, "Why the sudden change?" I questioned when recalling that we hadn't even finished our planned tour around Europe. We had about six more countries to go.

"I like Mexican food…" he smirked with a devilish sparkle in his eyes.

My palm met his chest as I pushed him away from me, "You're disgusting" I sneered with intention to move away from him but he gripped by wrist, pulling me back to face him so our noses were inches away once again.

"And you're adorable" he replied with a small smile and I leaned in once again as did he before he finally met my lips in a slow kiss before it grew fierce. His fevered lips continued to move sensually against mine and his fingers frantically moved from my cheek and delved into my dark tresses holding me close to him.

Once we broke apart, I smirked and fell back onto the chair feeling slightly dazed with his kiss but was still able to tease him back, "Stating the obvious"

"Come on then" he inclined his head indicating that we should get a move on. He opened the door waiting for me to move but I still didn't move to which he froze in place, "We could just turn around and hide in a cave. Leave them to the dirty work" he suggested with a hopeful tone.

I lolled my head to the side and crossed my arms, "Does being selfish just come naturally with you?"

He rolled his eyes but grew serious when turning back to me with a peaceful expression and his eyes grew warm as he confessed, "Only when it comes to you"

The simplicity of those six words were enough to warm my heart as cheesy as that sounded. It was still rare for Damon to show any signs of his humanity and when he did, I saw the man that I first fell for. Although Damon knew how I felt about him, he was yet to say the three little words but I wasn't going to push him. What we had right now was too precious to just start meddling with.

Net to me, the car door opened with Damon still holding it for me.

I took a deep breath in preparation before taking his outstretched palm and allowing him to assist me out of the car, "Stop worrying" he whispered in my ear as I stood up and stopped by the car.

"I can't help it" I admitted still feeling the raging thoughts thumping in my head.

"We still have time to turn around" he continued to pursue the idea but I shook my head, "No one's looking" he added.

I inclined my head towards the house and caught Bonnie, Jeremy and Elena standing at the doorway staring back at us. Bonnie seemed excited and from where I was I could feel the hum of electricity grow stronger. Jeremy just seemed to be bored while Elena was torn between fear and wariness.

"Actually…" I turned back to Damon and swilled my eyes towards our audience, "They are looking"

He didn't make a move to look to where I was indicating but instead he stepped closer to me, pressing his front body onto me and pushing me back onto the car as he huskily whispered, "Well then…" the mischief had returned in his eyes again as he cheekily added, "…let's give them look at" the corner of his lips tugged up into a small smirk when a shiver trembled through my spine.

"Wh-" I was about to question his but was caught off guard as his lips crashed back onto mine. A fierce longing was exposed through his kiss as our tongues danced as we both fought for dominance.

His arm snaked around my waist pulling me even closer so there was no space between our bodies which only pushed me further into insanity. With each second, my insatiability strengthened and I only made me yearn for his touch some more and I desired for him to touch me everywhere.

Losing myself in the fevered kiss, I forgot about where I was and my fingers found themselves locked around his neck before slipping up into his soft ravened locks as I pulled him closer. "Damon", what was meant to be a scolding growl came out as a lustful moan.

"I'm not of legal age to be witnessing a porn show!" the little Gilbert called to us and we finally broke apart and I chuckled. Turning to the side, I caught how Elena's was blushing but wasn't looking away, Bonnie had ducked her head to the side and Jeremy was hitching an eyebrow as he gaped at us with wide eyes.

Damon pecked my lips one last time before taking my hand in his, "We better get the bags" he smiled, practically skipping and I was pleased with myself, knowing that my kiss had been able to erase the previous memories that had darkened his mind.

When we stood behind the car, I waited until he opened the boot before reaching over to grab by bag but he suddenly swatted my hands away and I questioned him, "What?"

His signature smirk played on his lips with gleaming eyes that bore into mine before he cockily answered, "Wouldn't want to you break something"

Grimacing at his words, I pushed him away causing him to stumble a few steps back before I retorted, "Sexist pig"

He ignored my words as his smirk remained and he pushed my hands away when pulling out the small black suitcase that had been my carryon. "That you fucked" he whispered in my ear with a husky tone making me shiver but just as I was about to shove him away, he sneaked in another kiss.

Ignoring the effect he had on me, I began to walk off but felt his hand slap my ass making me jump so I turned to flip him off to which he just laughed.

Ass.

Now that Damon was busy and not attached to my lips, Bonnie began to rush down the porch steps and run to meet me halfway. Her arms encircling me when I opened mine in acceptance of her embrace. "God! I missed you" she cheered in my ear and I laughed.

"Missed you too" I returned with a wide grin when we finally broke apart.

Even the little Gilbert pulled me into a hug. "Welcome home" he greeted me with a happy smile.

As we entered the house me and Elena stood a foot apart while staring at each other while the others cast wary glances between each other.

"Awkward" the little Gilbert murmured and walked past us and into the living room before crashing onto the couch and switching on the TV, ignoring us completely.

After a minute I grew sick of their staring so I sighed and pulled her into a nice but very awkward hug. "Good too see you alive Elena" I joked when we quickly broke apart.

"Thanks" she grinned with brighter eyes, "Dead still works on you" she teased back and my smile was actually genuine this time.

Why hang onto the past?

I chose Damon and he chose me.

"Damon" she didn't sound angry or outraged regarding what he did when we had left but instead I found that there was a cautious tone within her words as she glanced towards me so I offered a kind and assuring smile to let her know I'm not that much of a jealous girlfriend.

"Hello…Elena" even though there was a hardness in the way he greeted her, I could still read into the teasing tone that he usually had.

I had moved on and I trusted Damon. That was all that mattered.

Hands looped around my waist pulling me back to his muscled front before kissing under my ear, "Back to the normal life in Mystic Falls" he chuckled.

I smiled and squirmed with the shiver that ran down my spine but he wouldn't let me go. Instead he bent his head down to kiss my neck and I spun around to place my arms around his neck, reaching up to peck his lips but he captured my lips into a more fervent kiss.

I guess to an extent I had actually missed it.

I'm just glad that we were together through whatever was coming for us.

A/N: Please Review. Smiley face emoticon for you...x