Author's Note: So I was rereading my story and I found some inconsistencies in when Elena's tragedy happened. Elena was actually only 17 when it occurred after that she went and stayed with Bonnie for only one year. I apologize for any confusion on that matter. In this story Elena is 18 almost 19 years old. Damon is actually 21 years old and Caroline is 22 years old. I hope that kind of helps with the age differences in the story.

Chapter 7:

The tension in the living room of Caroline's house grew as Rebekah's harsh words were thrown at Elena's unsuspecting face. Caroline's rage had finally bottled over at Rebekah's uncalled for outburst. How could she do that to Elena whom she barely knows? Yes Rebekah was Caroline's friend but so was Elena. Caroline finally had the last straw and looked at Rebekah after Elena had dashed out of the room with tears in her eyes. "Bekah. Get out of my house right now" says Caroline barely keeping her cool. Rebekah just stared at Caroline shocked at Caroline's harshness towards her. Caroline was always the one who defended her brusqueness but it seems this time Caroline had enough of trying to defend her.

"Seriously just go" says Caroline a little softer as Rebekah wasn't budging.

Rebekah still a little shocked quickly grabs her things and gives Caroline and April one last pleading look before leaving. "Sorry" is all Rebekah had to say before she closed the front door behind her.

As soon as Rebekah left the room April goes over to Caroline to try and calm her down. "Caroline do you think you might have been a little rough on Bekah?" says April finally.

Caroline stares at April before replying. "You think I was rough on her? April, she was being totally mean and hurtful to Elena. I know we were playing a game but that was uncalled for. Elena did not ask for that" says Caroline.

April just nods her head and says, "I know what Rebekah said was mean, but We know Bekah. We know when she does something like this is because she is insecure about something and wants to hide her true feelings behind anger. I wonder if the reason for her outburst might be because of how close you and Elena seem to becoming. Elena seems through Bekah's eyes to be crawling into all the things that Bekah loves. Just please Caroline think about both sides before you do something you might regret later" says April.

"Fine. Whatever… let's go find Elena." Says Caroline

Meanwhile….Outside Caroline's house Rebekah starts walking towards her car but before she unlocks the door she looks over at the Salvatore's house. That is the moment she sees Elena and Damon in an intimate embrace. Rebekah's face was drained from all color and emotion seeing the look on Damon's face as he embraced this girl he barely knew. Rebekah has always been the one to be there for him. She was always there in the background waiting for him to see her more than just one of Caroline's friends and in an instant that moment has been forever erased. Damon has never looked at her the way he is looking at Elena. Rebekah sees that Damon has finally found someone who he could not live without. Rebekah finally began to let out a soft sob for her breaking heart before finally getting into her car. In a single night Rebekah has lost everything she had held dear. She lost her best friends and even the love of her life. Elena Gilbert was going to pay for what she has done to Rebekah. Rebekah would see that she get her revenge no matter what.

Author's Note: Sorry if this transition over to Damon and Elena's side of the story doesn't fit. This part has stumped me for days. Sorry for that.

Back to Damon and Elena….

Damon and Elena finally break apart when they see Caroline and April approaching them. Elena tries desperately to wipe away the tears from her eyes not wanting them to be even more concerned for her. "Elena.. there you are" says Caroline as she is just a few feet away from Elena before she sees Damon is with her.

"I just wanted to tell you Elena that I asked Rebekah to leave. I can't believe she treated you like that. I am so sorry" says Caroline as she grabs hold of one of Elena arms in comfort and support.

"Caroline it's fine. Really. I'm fine. It did hurt what she said but I'm over it" says Elena wanting to soothe Caroline's worries.

"Okay if you are sure. Do you still want to hang out? You don't have to if you don't think you are up to it" says Caroline with concern still in her voice.

Elena looks from Damon to Caroline and back to Damon once more before replying. "Actually I think I just want to go home. Do you mind taking me home Damon?" says Elena. Damon nods his head in reply and starts leading Elena to his car. Elena gives Caroline a wave goodbye and says, "Thanks for inviting me. I did have fun. Its just things happen that aren't planned. I'll see you later Caroline." And with that Caroline watches as Elena leaves with Damon to her house with mixed feelings of concern and excitement.

As Damon pulled into Elena's driveway he turned towards Elena about to ask her how she was doing when suddenly Elena begins to speak. "So would like to come in for a bit" says Elena staring into Damon's eyes with big doe eyes pleading for him to say yes. Damon gives Elena side smile before saying he would love to. Elena and Damon enter the foyer of the house taking off their coats and leaving them on the coat rack. Damon takes in the small house and sees the cozy atmosphere that the place gives inviting those from the outside in to the small home. Damon felt immediately at home. Elena starts walking towards the living room when Damon hears Elena give a small squeal before saying "RIC! Eww… How is it every times someone comes to meet you, you are in your boxers" with that Elena quickly turns around covering her shocked eyes. Damon just gives off a small chuckle at Elena for being uncomfortable.

"What?" says Ric innocently before spotting Damon behind Elena. Ric just walks over to Damon and extends his hand in greeting with a beer bottle still in the other hand. "Hey I'm Alaric Saltzman but you can call me Ric"

Damon takes Ric's hand smirking at the older man before replying "I'm Damon Salvatore. Hey is that the Red Sox games" Damon says when looking over at the flat screen TV. In the living room. Ric's eyes widened when he discovered another Baseball fan. "Yeah it is. You wanna watch" and with that Damon was accepted by Ric in less than two minutes of meeting him. Elena just laughed inside at how easy it was for men to make friends.

"Hey do you want pizza for dinner?" asks Elena as she starts heading towards the kitchen.

"Pizza and beer. Can't beat that?" says Ric as he sits down in front of the T.V. as the game starts back up. Elena just laughs at Ric's answer and then looks to Damon who just says "Dido."

"Here Damon have one. Oh wait you are twenty- one right. I don't want to be encouraging kids to drink under age" says Ric as an after thought.

"No thanks. I'm driving so I don't think it would be a good idea anyway" says Damon.

"Good man. Elena you picked yourself a good one." Says Ric as he shouts out the last statement so that Elena could hear it. Elena's face just goes bright red at Ric's forwardness. Ignoring Ric's last statement Elena asks, "Hey Ric were is Aunt Jenna. She should be back by now"

"Jenna went out I told you that. I don't know when she will be back so just go ahead and make dinner for three" says Ric not really giving Elena much of an answer.

As Elena begins to get out the ingredients for making a pizza Damon emerges from the living room to see what she was up to. "You're making your own pizza. WOW" says Damon amazed.

"Yeah that's the best way to eat a pizza I think. Then you know that you will be getting enough cheese, sauce, and whatever else you want on a pizza. Instead of picking off things you don't like or not getting enough of something you do like. My mom, Jeremy and I used to make pizzas together. It was nice" says Elena.

"Okay then what do you like on a pizza" says Damon curiously as he watches Elena cut up some tomatoes and zucchini.

"You know the basics of a supreme pizza. Cheese, sauce, tomatoes, black olives, meat, veggies in general except for mushrooms"

"Mushrooms? What's wrong with you. I love mushrooms" says Damon aghast at someone who wouldn't love mushrooms.

"They are grouse and squishy. I don't like squishy food" says Elena crinkling her noise in disgust. Damon smirks over at Elena as a naughty idea pops into his head. Damon goes over to the fridge and pulls out an entire thing of mushrooms hiding them behind his back as he goes over to Elena. Damon grabs one and puts a mushroom in front of Elena's face making her squeal in disgust and backing away from the nasty thing bumping into Damon as she does so. Stuck between the icky vegetable and Damon, Elena does the only thing she can do which is run. Run for her life which leads Damon to chase her. Elena runs into the living room begging Ric to save her from Damon's nasty mushroom. Ric looks over at Damon's mischievous face and looks over to Elena before he gestures towards Damon to throw him a mushroom. Elena was caught in the middle between Damon and Ric who were chasing her around the room with Mushrooms wanting her to give in to the yummy taste of the vegetable. Their laughs could be heard from the streets.

The three finally sit down at the table for the delicious dinner that Elena had made with the assistance of Damon who helped make the pizza as well. Damon and Ric both have a very smug and satisfied look on their face as they watch Elena eat her piece of pizza as if she had gone to heaven. "Told you Mushrooms were good" says Damon with a smirk.

"Shut up" says Elena as she takes another bite of her pizza with tons of mushrooms on top. Ric chuckles at Elena's childish antics. This has been the first time since he met Elena that he truly seen her so happy and it all was due to Damon Salvatore.

After dinner Elena starts to clean up washing the dishes whiling humming a song to herself. Damon leans against the wall watching her. Elena looks up to Damon and smiles towards him. "Do you need help?" says Damon as he walks over to her taking a towel from her hand. "Sure" says Elena as she sees how close Damon has become to her. Damon grabs the cup that was in Elena's hand drying it off slowly as he looks into Elena's eyes. "Thanks" is all that Elena is able to utter before she realizes how much she really wants to kiss Damon. She can't help herself. With Damon's face barely three inches from her own with his deep blue eyes staring back at her as if he was daring her to close the gap. She knew at that moment she had strong feelings for this Salvatore and she wanted more than anything to act on those feelings. Elena began to inch forward towards Damon when suddenly Elena heard the front door opening. 'Way to kill the mood Aunt Jenna' thinks Elena as Damon and Elena separate quickly.

"Ric? Elena? Are you here?" says Aunt Jenna as she moves further into the house. Ric breaks away from the television and walks towards Aunt Jenna while Elena and Damon emerge from the kitchen to see what Jenna wanted. When Jenna sees that everyone was there and surprisingly someone she didn't know, Jenna took a step to the side and said "I brought a guest. Someone we haven't seen in a while." From the dark outside emerged a tall figure coming into the house. The figures features were still muffled from the darkness until he came into the light. "Please welcome your Uncle John Gilbert" says Aunt Jenna in a way of introduction. Elena let out an ear piercing scream before collapsing into Damon's awaiting arms.

Author's Note: A little cliff hanger for the next chapter. I know this is a shorter chapter but the next one will be longer. Just to clarify everyone thinks Elena's parents and brother were killed in a car accident not by her uncle. Elena didn't tell anyone the truth until Damon. Tell me what you think of this chapter and the development of Damon and Elena's relationship and Ric's relationship. Please Review.