A/N: SHORRY for the late update. My exams are coming soon and I'm barely getting any time to write. Plus as my computer broke down a long time ago, I only have my tab around with me, so you can guess how hard it is to type all these in a tab. So, I hope you all understand and enjoy reading this chapter.

Chapter6: Vulnerable

The rain had finally stopped as the sunlight pierce66d through the rugged tent where two bodies lay entangled with each other.

It was first Elena who woke up. She slowly loosened their grip on their hands and she lifted her head from his chest as she tried to sit up. Her hair was shrivelled and she realised that she was not wearing a single piece of clothing. All the memories of the night flooded back to her, their intense love making, the passionate yet lingering kisses. She touched her lips which were still sore from the actions of yesterday night.

She had never ever imagined that this was going to happen, they were all alone in an island somewhere God knows and they ended up having sex. Elena knew that she had been fully conscious about what was happening and she had given in to the tempations which she had wanted to feel for a long time now. But guilty crept into her heart now. As much as Elena wanted to believe last night had meant something, she knew it wouldn't be the same for Damon. He was in love with Katherine after all. The night of their togetherness had all happened just so quickly and nobody had been able to resist the temptations of the seductively passionate night.

She dazed at the man sleeping beside him. He looked so angelic while sleeping soundly. She didn't want to disturb him and plus she didn't know how he was going to react when he woke up. She was too afraid to find out as she got up and started to get dressed. When she was pulling on her jacket Damon finally woke up.

"Elena?"

She jumped up as she heard his voice. Her heart started beating faster as he waited for her response. . What was he going to do? Was he going to accept it all or...? Her thoughts trailed off as he finally sat and started putting on his clothes.

"Hey Damon." Elena was finally able to find her voice back as she responded softly.

"Did we just...?"

Elena knew where his words were leading to as she quickly completed the sentence by answering. "Yeah...I guess we did."

"Shit!"

Her heart sank the moment the words left Damon's mouth.

Damon on the other hand, was still confused by his actions. He didn't mean last night to turn out like this. They were just looking for shelter, and they were both wet and she looked gorgeous enough to be devored and worshipped. Ok! Where were his thoughts leading to, he should be thinking about how to clean this mess up instead he found himself fascinated as he enjoyed the thoughts of what they did yesterday night. He shrugged his head, finally some sense coming back to him. Right now, he should be thinking about how to get off this damn island instead of screwing his own best friend. Hadn't everything started with their conversation if leaving the island...

He knew his thoughts were going back in reverse again as she finally stood up trying to frame up the exact words to begin his sentence with.

"I'm sorry...for everything last night." He mumbled softly, not looking into her eyes directly.

Her felt her eyes watering up as she quickly turned her back to his. Sorry was the last thing she wanted to hear. It meant he regretted his every actions last night. Even the slightest hope she was holding into sank into oblivion. Last night had meant nothing to him at all, nothing. The thought broke her heart, she knew if she stood here for a moment longer she wouldn't be able to control her tears infront of him and she didn't want to look vulnerable now.

Without turning back or saying anything she walked out of the tent, increasing her pace in every step until she was nearly jogging.

"Elena wait!" Damon called out to her from behind. "Elena.."

She didn't bother to look back, right now she needed some time alone to think properly. She jogged into the forest as tears started dripping from her eyes flowing through her cheeks. She wiped them off and continued into the forest but the tears, she couldn't stop them from coming out how much she wanted them to.

Finally she came to a pit stop, as she tried to catch her breath. She realised she was a mess as she was coughing, crying and desperately trying to breath. After a few minutes, she felt her breath come back to normal. The forest was unusually quite except the screeching of some birds. Her eyes went to a shrub which had small fruits which looked like berries but the size were small than that. They were purple in colour. Elena bent down and plucked up a few from the shrub. Absent-mindedly just as she was about to put them in her mouth, Damon came from somewhere throwing all the berries from her hand which scattered in the ground.

"Are you mad or what Elena! Those could have been poisonous enough to kill you. Don't you know that?!" He was literally shouting as he shook her holding her shoulders with his hands.

"Why do you care." Elena simply answered in a rough voice.

"Why do I care! Why do I care! You are my best friend Elena, I don't know if I would be able to live if anything happened to you."

"I don't think so."

"What! Why are you talking like this.. what happened?"

"Really Damon, you are asking me what happened?"

Damon stood still for a moment, she had never seen Elena talking like this to him, rather anybody. Her voice betrayed her, he understood how much she was hurt from their conversation from the morning. But..but what else he could do. He had tried not to hurt her and ended doing exactly the same thing.

"I'm sorry Elena that I hurt you but please give me a chance to make it up to you...I can't loose you."

"I don't know Damon..." Her words trailed off as she started walking back towards the beach and Damon followed behind.

"But please Elena, you are my best friend... I don't want to ruin this friendship."

"It already is."

"I know we slept together but this doesn't have to change anything and we can sort this out like mature adults."

"Don't you understand Damon? Everything has already changed between us, it is never going to be the same after yesterday night. I...I can't go back to what we were. Sorry Damon but I just can't."

"No.." He caught her hand stopping her. "There must be something...this can't be over, I'm not letting you to. I'm ready to be in a relationship with you if we can work it out but I can't afford to loose you."

"Do you know what you are talking about!" Elena voice automatically raised in anger. "You're being irrelevant, this is not a fucking solution. You're saying this now Damon but as soon as we'll be back home you'll forget about this and go back to your beloved Katherine."

"Katherine...where did she come from! I don't love her Elena. I just want to take revenge on her by doing exactly what she did to me."

Elena's eyes widened as she looked at him. "What!"

"Yes it is true Elena, I love playing games and you know that."

"How will I know that this isn't one of your games?"

"Believe me it isn't."

"You always run away Damon when you get start getting attached to anybody. You always do... I can't let you break my heart again." As soon as she uttered those words, she realised she had spoken much more than necessary. But Damon just looked at her once, quickly lowering hus gaze as he kept and they continued walking.

They had reached the beach as they both quitely walked down and Elena settled down on the sand, her hands were wrapped around her legs which hugged her body while Damon collected some broken twigs to light up the fire.

When everything was set, he too settled down beside her. The fire brought warmth to the atmosphere as they finally felt a little comfortable since morning. The sun was setting up by now and the coukd hear the splashes of the water which broke down on the shore.

How did this conversation even reach here? Elena thought to himself, Damon was not a relationship material. He had only one rule when it came to live and relationships, he didn't like to get attached emotionally. She knew from his words that how much he valued this friendship but it wouldn't go anywhere...he would be against his will to be in a relationship with her just to make this better between them like before.

Damon slowly laid down in the sand as he gazed up in the starry night sky. It was beautiful, heavenly but not as beautiful as Elena. When he had said those words, he had meant them genuinely, from his heart. He knew he didn't do relationships well but with Elena, he was ready to take a chance. It was worth the risk. But it was going to take some time to convince her but he was going to do it no matter what.

After a while he finally spoke out. "My mom...she walked out on us after she found out about my dad's affair with one of his colleagues. Nobody even thought about me for once. As much as I tried to never be like Dad, I grew up exactly being him. I know that I'm going to do to the same thing and..."

"You don't know that.." Elena's voice had softened as shs reassuringly sqeezed his hand while she laid down beside him.

"That's why I always run away from relationships Elena, because I know how its gonna turn out. It took me a long time to be okay after that incident but with you I'm willing to take the risk. You're worth the fight Elena."

On hearing his words, she felt a number of mixed emotions running in through heart. As much as she wanted his words to be true but somewhere...somewhere in her heart she was still not sure about it. Damon loved her but he didn't love her like that.. the kind of love she wanted it to be.

No matter what was going to happen after this, Elena felt really glad that he had actually confessed his deepest secret infront of her. He has poured his heart out. Today she had seen the vulnerable side of him.

A/N: Hope you guys like this chapter. Twists and turns coming up.. ;)

So, PLEEEEEEEASE READ and REVIEW!