Elena woke up back in her bedroom next to Damon who was smiling at her from ear to ear warming her body like the feelings from her dream.
"I love you, Elena" Damon kissed her softly.
Elena was completely confused. How did he do that?
"I told you I could decide what I wanted you to dream about" He said bringing his hand to her waist and pulling her in closer.
"That's unbelievable. It felt so real." She was still trying to figure out how that was even possible.
"Let's just say I'm special." His trademark smirk appeared and he met his lips with hers.
"Yes, you are" she managed to squeeze out those words between a few kisses.
After a little while she stopped. Her stomach was empty and she could tell that she needed food.
"Damon, I'm hungry"
"Me too." She raised an eyebrow at him. "What? I haven't killed somebody in weeks. I'll let you get some breakfast and I'll head to the hospital to stock up on some blood bags."
"Right" Elena never did like the fact that Damon drank human blood but it was who he was. It's what made him Damon and she loved him for every thing he did even if it meant that. She wouldn't try to change him; she wouldn't dare turn him into Stefan.
"I'll go out through your window this time, we wouldn't want Aunt Jenna throwing a fit because I slept over the second night after we got together" Damon winked and Elena playfully slapped him. "Hey" He responded to her slap by pinning her to the bed and tickling her.
"Damon stop" She was launched into an unbearable laughing bit and he couldn't help but laugh at how cute she was. But, he stopped after her plea before she got to loud and her aunt suspected something.
"You're so cute" he kissed her forehead. "Do you have any plans for this afternoon?"
"I was thinking about going over to Bonnie's to break the news to her after I eat and shower. She'll kill me if I keep it from her any longer." Elena sighed. She knew what Bonnie's reaction was going to be like already. "She probably isn't going to take it well but she's my best friend and she needs to give you a chance. I'll explain everything to her."
Damon nodded in response to Elena's words. "Tell her I'm sorry for everything that happened, everyone I've killed." He smiled. "It's not lies either sweetheart. I really am sorry for everything I've done that hurt you or any one you care about. I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you" He grinned hoping it would show her he was serious.
"I know Damon. I believe you" she said bringing her hands to the back of his neck. "I'll get her to understand. Bonnie just has a thing with trust."
"Thank you" he grabbed her hand kissing it the old-fashion way." But you should head downstairs and get something to eat. I wouldn't want you passing out again, it scares me"
"You're right. I'll call you later." She suggested, heading towards the door.
"I'll be waiting, see you soon sweetheart" He blew her a kiss and as she blew him one back; butterflies fluttered in both of their stomachs.
( PUT LINE HERE)
As Elena finished her oatmeal she grabbed her phone dialing Bonnie's number. A couple of rings went through until her best friend finally answered.
"Hey, Elena" The witch greeted her on the other end of the phone with a pleasant voice.
"Hi Bon, do you have any plans?" There was a pause for a moment.
"Nope, what do you have in mind then?" Bonnie asked.
"Well... We haven't hung out in a few days and there's an important thing I need to tell you. Can I come over?
"Okay. Elena, what's this about?" Bonnie's voice was on edge.
"It's about Damon. I'll be there in twenty" Elena hung up the phone before Bonnie even had the chance to guess what it was although she had a feeling.
Elena hurried up the stairs and headed to the bathroom to get a shower.
Elena pulled into Bonnie's driveway and got out of the car making her way towards the witch's door. She hadn't knocked in years so she opened the door letting herself into her best friend's house. Bonnie quickly came out from her room to greet Elena.
"Hey, so what's this about?" Bonnie's face showed Elena everything she needed to know. Bonnie was worried ever since she got off the telephone with Elena. It was something about Damon which meant it wasn't good.
"Let's go in your room" Elena gestured heading toward Bonnie's room and seating herself on the girl's bed.
Bonnie couldn't take the suspense much longer." Okay Elena, tell me what it is. I've been worried sick ever since you hung up on me"
"I did not hang up on you" Elena laughed. "But it's about Damon."
"I know... You told me that already. I have a feeling where this going but I hope I'm wrong. Now spill the rest" Bonnie was loosing her patience with her best friend and Elena found it kind of funny but she knew she had to tell her now before Bonnie completely lost it.
"Okay. Well it happened over the last few days so it isn't going to be exactly short" Bonnie just nodded to remind Elena to keep going, so she did. "Well Friday night Damon came over. He came in my room while I was in the bathroom and I didn't notice him until I got out so I have no idea how long he was there. He brought me my necklace back. I thanked him for bringing it but he wouldn't give it to me. He said he had something to say before he handed it back because he needed me to hear it. He confessed that he loved me and then he compelled me... or so he thought. I mix vervain into everything I drink and I guess he forgot for the moment. That necklace is supposed to protect me anyway but I always mix it with my food just to make sure." She inhaled and exhaled slowly. "When those words came out of his mouth it made me realize a load of things that I was pretending not to feel. The moment he told me I finally admitted my feelings for Damon to myself and headed over there to tell Stefan. Damon had left the moment he told me thinking that I had forgotten but I hadn't. So I went to Stefan and he had an idea. I told him and he was really upset. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do but he understood at the time. Stefan just left me in his room so I headed to tell Damon but he heard the whole conversation anyway. He explained to me why he was the way he was. Stefan forced him to turn Bonnie. Damon didn't want it" She paused hoping to get a response from Bonnie but she was just looking at Elena with her mouth open in shock. Elena just kept going with the story." So anyway after he told me what happened with him and Stefan he asked me to be his girlfriend and I said yes! I hadn't felt so sure about anything in my life. I know it's fast but it's like we've skipped all these steps to being a couple already because we've already dealt with them. I already know him. I've known him a while. After that we kissed and um... well you know the rest" Bonnie now had a look of disgust on her face. "I didn't mean to do it that night, I hadn't planned it but the timing was right." Elena shrugged and smiled, blushing. "But the next night I was at the house getting ready to go out with Damon when Stefan appeared in my room. He wasn't himself Bon. I could tell the moment I placed my eyes on him. He had terror in his eyes, he was drunk and he is on human blood again. He blamed me for it and told me that I was supposed to pick him. He attacked me draining me until I became unconscious and if Damon hadn't come when he did; I don't know if I'd be alive" The last bit of Elena's story made her remember the other night and it brought tears to her eyes reminiscing the bad memories.
Bonnie pulled Elena into a hug and comforted her while trying to find the right words to say. Bonnie never did like Damon. She always saw him as a murderer, a waste of time. He had hurt Caroline and he had turned Vickie Donovan. Little things he did here and there made her relax with him a little but then he would always do something that would trigger her hate for him to become even stronger.
"Wow" Was all she managed to say at first. "How come you never told me about your uncertain feelings to Damon?" She was hurt that her best friend didn't tell her such an important thing.
"Trust me Bon, I wanted to. But, I couldn't manage to tell anybody. I didn't tell myself. I didn't even write it in my journal until the night he confessed he loved me. I knew there was something between us but I couldn't admit it until he did it first". She sighed relieved that her best friend finally knew everything. She knew that Bonnie would understand.
"Well you know that I really don't like Damon after everything he did right?" She asked.
Elena nodded." Yes I do, and so does Damon. He told me to tell you that he was really sorry for all of the pain that he caused you. He wants your forgiveness Bonnie. It'll never happen again Bon, please give him another chance" Elena pleaded while Bonnie sat back deep in thought.
Bonnie sighed. "It will take a while to get used to, but I think I can do it eventually."
Elena hugged her happily knowing that Bonnie understood now. Everything was going to be alright. She glanced over at the clock confused at the time. She was already there for three hours and she needed to go home and get ready for tonight.
"Would you like to stay for dinner? We're ordering pizza!" Bonnie's eyes lightened up and she rubbed her stomach smiling. This caused Elena to laugh.
"Sorry Bon. I've got plans tonight. Stefan ruined them last night so Damon and I are going out to dinner. I better get going, I have to get ready"
"Oh, that's alright." Bonnie grinned from ear to ear. "There's more pizza for me!" Pizza was Bonnie's favorite food and it always made her go a little crazy whenever she had it for dinner. Elena couldn't help but laugh once again.
"I'll call you later" She hugged her best friend before leaving her house and driving home. She was satisfied with the progress she had made the last couple days. Her life was finally starting off on the right course. She figured out who she really loved. She told her aunt who was okay with the idea. She told her best friend. The only problem was Stefan. She quickly stopped thinking about him. She did not need him to ruin this perfect day. She wasn't going to let him.
Elena texted her boyfriend as she finished straighten her hair. My boyfriend. Damon Salvatore is my boyfriend. She would never get tired of calling him her boyfriend.
I'm almost ready. Am I driving or are you? Not long after she sent it Damon responded.
I am. We're going on a date and on a date the man is always supposed to pick up the women. We are doing this the old fashioned way because well… I am old. Is ten minutes long enough for you?
She replied back not wanting to keep him waiting. Ten minutes is perfect. See you then, E
He sent one more message. See you soon beautiful, Damon.
Damon Salvatore never failed to make Elena smile. But she couldn't get lost in the thoughts of him right now. She wasn't completely ready. She walked over to the mirror examining her to see if she looked alright. She was wearing a sparkly purple tank top with black leggings and purple flats. She chose purple bracelets and her vervain necklace to accentuate her outfit. She thought she looked pretty good. She wanted Damon to notice. For some reason she really wanted to make a good impression for Damon. It was weird because she didn't need to please him but for some reason; she dressed up anyway. Not long after she was completely ready she heard a car horn. She quickly hurried down the stairs grabbing her purse and heading out the door not allowing any time for Jenna or Jeremy to ask where she was going. As she walked towards his car, she looked in through the windshield smiling at her boyfriend who was smiling right back at her. She got in his car and was greeted by his lips.
"You looks astonishing" He looked at her from head to toe checking her out, she noticed.
"Thank you Mr. Salvatore. You don't look so bad yourself" She winked. It was the first time she ever winked at him and he liked it. He winked back, of course before starting up his car again and driving away. She really examined him now. He wasn't wearing the usual black jeans, black shirt or leather jacket. He was wearing black dress pants, a white button up shirt with a purple tie. It was really a coincidence how their outfits matched and Elena wondered for a moment if Damon peeked at her getting ready but she didn't dare ask. It's not like it mattered anyway.
"Where are we going exactly?" she asked, not wanting to wonder the rest of the way.
"I was thinking you could choose. We could go to an Italian restaurant or a Greek Buffet, whatever you prefer". He said without making eye contact with her because he had to watch the road but she could tell she was smiling at him. "But you may have to hurry because the turn off is just ahead and one is left and one is right."
"Umm" She thought for a moment." Buffet sounds delicious but I don't want to make myself sick tonight. How about the Italian restaurant you were talking about?"
"Sure sweetheart, remember what I said. It's up to you." When they came upon the turn he went left. He took his right hand off the steering wheel offering it to her. She took his hand and kissed it causing him to smile.
