Chapter 10

WI

Elena was in the bathtub listening to music on her I pod, neither her or Damon brought speakers but he was trying to figure out a way to get them music through his laptop. They planned on breaking out the old bottle of wine tonight and letting loose a little. Things had been intense since they had been here. She was excited to drink and dance and have some fun.

She could tell Damon needed it to, their search on the originals just kept leading to more questions and his frustration was growing. Elena understood his frustration on a whole new level now. Benjamin had basically marked Damon for death just like the witch that created the sun and moon curse did to her. It was a desperate and anxious feeling . This constant worry that the shoe is going to drop and some witch or vampire would find out about Benjamin and kill Damon for turning him.

She attempted to push the worries from her mind knowing Damon could feel them. She focused instead on thinking about Damon. How amazing he was to her. He seemed to just automatically put her needs first. She often woke up to breakfast waiting for her. He refused to eat any of the fresh food she had left wanting to ensure there would be enough for her. She couldn't believe he at one point thought being with her was selfish. Damon was the most unselfish boyfriend she had even imagined.

He was so affectionate more so then she thought he would be. He was constantly hugging her and kissing her, they were very rarely not next to each other touching some way. They both had a hard time keeping their hands off each other. It was like every time they were together it just got more intense the bond between them was growing and it heightened the experiences of making love and sharing blood in incredible ways. Feeling your lover's pleasure at the same time as your own brings everything to this whole new level. It felt magical with him and she literally couldn't get enough.

She slipped on a little purple slip and combed her hair before paddling out of the bathroom barefoot. Damon always turned up the space heaters a little when she bathed so she wouldn't freeze when she got out.

"Mm." He smiled his darkened blue eyes drinking her in in her pajama's, she was really surprised by the selection of clothes Damon picked out for her, pretty much everything he picked was her style and something she would have bought. Of course he did throw in some racy items that made her scoff at first but he had a way of making her feel so beautiful, he treated her like a woman and not a girl. She found herself enjoying the feelings and confidence it gave her.

She returned his amorous gaze easily. The candle lit room accented every muscle on his bare chest. He was wearing silk black pajama pants that hung down past his pelvic bone.

"Silk pants Damon?" She teased.

"Don't pretend you don't love them." He said waggling his eyebrows at her.

"Well you have a way of pulling off pretty much anything." She admitted.

"You should have seen me in the seventies." He grinned.

"Don't tell me you wore bell bottoms." She giggled. "Did you disco?"

"No I did not disco." He scoffed. "Mostly black leather pants then. I never got on the bell bottom train. I did have really long hair though."

She frowned trying to picture him with long hair but she just couldn't put the image in her head.

"I don't think you should go back to that." She smiled playing with his messy dark locks.

"I'm way overdue for a haircut actually. It's kind of shaggy." He frowned.

"I could cut it for you." She offered.

"Do you know how?" He asked raising en eyebrow cautiously.

"Ye of little faith." She smiled. "I happen to cut Jer's hair for him all the time."

"I don't know." He said looking nervous.

She rolled her eyes, Damon and his ego.

"Don't you trust me?" She asked with a little pout.

He sighed heavily. "The pouty face Elena? That's just unfair."

"Go sit down in the bathroom." She directed.

"I didn't say yes yet." He said raising his eyebrows.

She pouted at him again leaning her body in closer to him.

"Fine, but just a trim," He muttered sulking into the bathroom.

She grabbed the scissors from the drawer and followed him with a pleased little grin on her face. He was staring at her nervously when she walked in holding the scissors.

She laughed out loud it felt good to just laugh. To just be with him doing normal mundane everyday things in this tiny little place they were in was so amazing. It was like a never ending honeymoon in here. She was torn between missing her family and friends and wanting to stay here forever, literally.

"Don't worry Damon, I'm not going to do a hack job on your hair, I happen to enjoy looking at you." She laughed standing in between his legs and gazing down at him.

He smirked up at her and looked a little more relaxed.

"Almost as much as you do," She added with a little laugh.

She started wetting and combing his hair down leaning over him which gave him a bird's eye view of her chest.

"This isn't so bad after all." He smirked.

"Don't distract me." She warned him when he started nibbling at her breasts over her slip. She suddenly felt a little nervous what if she did mess up his hair? Damon probably wouldn't get over it easily.

"Why are you nervous? I thought you knew what you were doing?" He said suddenly looking alarmed.

"You're making me nervous." She sighed, "It's just hair now relax so I can relax."

He nodded and focused on staring at her breasts while she started trimming his hair. She was extra careful and took her time. She just shortened it up a little bit. She ruffled it making it kind of messy like it was the first day she met him. His blue eyes popped even more and she stared at his chiseled face lustfully.

"Looking good," She smiled and winked handing him a little mirror, He stared into for a while tilting his head and nodding in approval.

"Damn I'm so hot I'm turning myself on," He smirked pulling her down to his lap and capturing her lips.

"You're all full of hair." She laughed attempting to jump off of him but he held tight and picked her up guiding them both into the shower. She squealed as he slipped her slip of and started the water jumping in with her and quickly rinsing the hair off his chest.

"All clean now." He grinned at her like a school boy and she laughed throwing her arms around him and kissing him passionately.

Over an hour later they emerged from the bathroom glowing in the aftermath again.

"All the candles are still lit." She smiled.

"I was going to seduce you." He said grabbing her arm and walking over towards the table. "You beat me to it."

"Me? I think you were the seducer there Damon." She laughed shaking her head.

"Wrong." He said smiling when he walked over to the laptop. "You were staring at me with that sexy little take me look in your eyes."

"I was not." She said lamely blushing and grinning because she supposed she was sort of doing that.

"Yes you were and I cannot resist that darling." He said opening the wine bottle and pouring a couple of glasses.

"That's thicker then blood." She gasped.

"I know it's awesome." He quipped.

"Are you sure this is safe for me to drink?" She asked doubtfully. "Isn't it like over one hundred years old?"

"So am I and you drink me." He said pushing the glass closer to her. "Now quit being a wet blanket and drink up."

"I just don't want to get wine poisoning or something." She muttered. He just rolled his eyes at her and clinked his glass against hers. She gingerly took a sip from the wine and was surprised at how smooth and tasty it was.

"Oh this is good." She smiled approvingly.

"Told you so," He smirked downing his glass and pouring another half way full he mixed some blood into it and she watched him curiously.

"Is that for the cravings?" She asked.

"Mostly for the taste, it helps make the alcohol more potent too" He shrugged.

"If you drink from me when I'm drunk do you get a contact high?" She asked curiously, she was beyond the point if being scared of the vampire stuff a long time ago but now with Damon she had crossed over into being fascinated by it. She wanted to know everything about him and what he was what she would be someday.

"Not the on the amount I take from you." He said sipping the wine blood mix and closing his eyes in satisfaction.

"Want a taste?" He asked holding his glass out when he noticed her staring at him.

"No I'm good." She laughed.

"Mm 'kay…" He teased winking at her and taking another sip she guzzled down some more of her own wine.

"Wait till you see what song I found." He said flipping his lap top open. "Speakers suck, but we can make do."

The, All I need song from Within Temptation came on and she gasped and smiled widely.

"Damon I love you." She smiled tearing up and stroking his face.

He just grinned at her and swept her up into his arms dancing around the small room with her. She locked eyes with him just like she did at the dance. Only now her guard was down and she knew how she felt. The confusion was gone and she gazed at him enjoying the tender loving look in his eyes as he stared back at her pulling her so close she could swear even now having spent all this time with him and just him her heart stopped as if she was under his trance.

Damon suddenly tensed in her arms and she stared up in confusion he put a finger to his lips and guided her into the bathroom.

"Stay here until I say it's okay." He leaned down and whispered quietly leaving her in the bathroom and shutting the door behind him.

Like hell I will, she thought, looking around the bathroom for a weapon.

VA

Katherine was smirking to herself as she raided Elena's closet for something to wear. She had lucked out big time with the timing of this thing the school's winter dance was tonight and it just wouldn't look right if Elena didn't show up with Stefan on her arm of course.

Katherine was glad Rose had discarded all of Elena's things. When Katherine replicated her room she added a few items of clothing that were more her style not to obvious…but she couldn't walk around looking like a prude with all that skin covered up. She felt like a boy in the damn sneakers Elena seemed to favor.

"Elena?" Jenna knocked on her door.

"Yes Aunt Jenna?" Katherine called trying to hold down the bile in her throat.

"I know the dance is tonight, but we really need to talk soon Elena you ran away." Jenna said sighing her heart was racing nervously.

"I came back though." Katherine said in a gentle tone.

"We need to talk about it Elena." Jenna persisted.

"Later Aunt Jenna, I really need to get ready." Katherine sighed.

"Tomorrow, promise?" Jenna persisted her damn heart still pumping that blood.

"Yeah okay I promise." Katherine said trying her best to sound sincere.

"Okay." Jenna sighed.

Katherine was annoyed she wasn't a fan of cohabitating with humans the last time she went down that road she made mistakes and lost her heart along the way. She had a feeling history was going to repeat but this time he would leave her in the mist. Turned out it was going to break her worse than him. She was humbled to realize the brother she left heartbroken was the brother she didn't even consider. The one she allowed herself to crack for, to fall for…had moved on and didn't even want her around.

Part of her did actually feel for Stefan now because he was the one left hurting. Somehow until now he seemed to escape the pain of their past. At least he appeared to. Where Damon was left scarred and so was she more than anyone even realized. Stefan on the other hand had somehow regained his humanity and held to it pretty easily. He seemed to have been able to move along and find love again as if she never even mattered to him.

Part of her would always hate Elena for that but a larger part of her was grateful to Elena. She left Stefan wide open for her. At least that was what she had assumed, she figured he would take it out on her, then go off on a blood spree, then eventually come crawling back to her desperate and lost.

She was wrong. Even in his heartache Stefan retained his humanity continued on his pursuit to save Elena and was still living a depressing but normal life. He even seemed to be getting closer to that Caroline girl. What was she thinking turning that twit? How could Stefan even spare a glance at that pathetic girl when she was in the room was beyond her. But it was beyond frustrating she didn't come here and sever the 145 year old triangle just to get caught up in another one.

She sighed and put on the little black cocktail dress she had purchased despite Bonnie's concerns that Elena wouldn't wear a dress that short.

"Well Elena's growing up." Katherine said out loud. "How about that?"

She twirled around and admired her reflection she wished she could wear her hair curly but it would pretty much be a dead giveaway.

"Elena, Stefan's here." Jeremy called.

Katherine smirked and sauntered down the stairs staring into his eyes. He was dressed in a black basic suit that was tailored nicely against his muscular body. Jenna was watching them with a goofy smile so he didn't have a choice but to smile at her and take her arm.

"You look so handsome Stefan." Katherine smiled.

"You look great as well Elena." He said stiffly.

"I'm going to pick up Bonnie and I'll meet you guys there." Jeremy said walking to the door looking nervous. Katherine thought he looked kind of sexy in his suit with his hair combed back nicely. She remembered how yummy his blood was when she smelled it pumping hard his heart was racing with teenage nervousness.

Too bad she couldn't just have a little taste; she thought longingly, teen human boys were pretty much her weakness. Elena's ex-boyfriend Matt was absolutely delicious. If Caroline found out she had had more than a few fun times snacking on the football player she'd probably lose her mind. Katherine considered telling her just to witness the reaction.

"You kids have fun." Jenna smiled. "Tomorrow Elena."

"Yes tomorrow promise." Katherine said smiling at her as Stefan ushered her out quickly.

"Tomorrow what?" Stefan whispered as soon as they were outside.

"She wants to talk to me err Elena about her running away. I'll just compel her." Katherine shrugged.

"No, you won't." Stefan said darkly.

"What else are we going do? Rose already made sure her disappearance wasn't reported. Jenna the only one who knows, don't you think she thinks it's creepy that all of Elena's stuff disappeared and then her and her stuff just reappeared a week later?" Katherine asked.

"Well yeah, but you can explain it come up with something." Stefan said looking flustered.

"To much work, I'll just compel her to believe Elena never left." Katherine said.

"No I won't let you." He said firmly gripping her arm.

"Just get in the car. Jenna's going to wonder why we're standing in the driveway." Katherine rolled her eyes easily slipping out his grip and jumping in his car. He got in and took off speeding a little his jaw set in a firm line.

The drove silently for a while the tension between them heavy. Katherine glanced at him he ws gripping the steering wheel and his jaw was set in a firm line.

"You will not compel Jenna, Katherine." He said turning to stare at her.

"Are you trying to compel me Stefan?" She laughed. "Won't work, you're not an original."

"I'm serous." He said looking like he was about to blow up over it.

"I don't get it what's the big deal?" Katherine asked.

"The big deal is you almost killed Jenna the last time you messed with her mind." He imploded.

"Okay, yeah well I was angry, and had a point to make, besides did she hit any vital organs Stefan?" Katherine asked.

"As if you...no you lucked out." He muttered.

"I know what lines not to cross. I'm not Damon; luckily Elena is more forgiving then you." Katherine snapped.

Stefan gulped and gripped the steering wheel tightly.

"Damon lost his grip on humanity when you broke him." Stefan said knowing full well what she was alluding to. "And your right Elena is more forgiving then me or anyone else on the planet but her family means everything and if I let you mess with Jenna's mind it's an action she wouldn't forgive."

"You don't owe her a damn thing." Katherine said.

"Maybe I don't, but I'm a good guy and I will not let you hurt Jenna." Stefan said. "If I have to stand guard every night I will."

"Stefan it will make her life easier, she's constantly on edge. She's probably waiting for 'Elena' to take off again." Katherine stressed.

"Don't start pretending you're doing this because you care." He rolled his eyes. "I'll never buy that."

"What if someone talks to Jenna? She could slip and mention Elena taking off and coming back. That could blow us right out of the water." Katherine pointed out.

Stefan stopped arguing then and frowned, his eyebrows furrowed into that little worried look that Katherine thought was adorable.

"You need to talk to Jeremy about it." He finally said. "It has to be Jeremy's decision, it can't be mine."

"I never said it was you made it yours." Katherine snapped. "I'm not asking a sixteen year old for permission for a damn thing."

"Yes you are." Stefan gripped her arm.

"You're hot when you get rough with me." She whispered giving him a seductive smile.

"Go to hell." He muttered.

"You're driving past the school." She pointed out with a smirk.

He grimaced slightly and backtracked pulling into the school parking lot. She frowned seeing Caroline was waiting for them in the parking lot.

"Hey Stefan," She said smiling she had style her hair in a loose up do and was wearing a pretty impressive white halter style dress.

"Hi Caroline you look nice." Stefan said politely.

"Thanks." She smiled lightly.

"Do you regularly flirt with Elena's friends in front of her?" Katherine asked in a haughty tone.

"I'm not flirting." He muttered looking embarrassed.

Jeremy and Bonnie pulled up breaking the tension Stefan allowed Katherine to take his arm and they walked into the dance together.

"This is just weird." Jeremy said.

"Just act normal." Bonnie stressed.

They all walked in and scanned the room carefully for anyone that seemed out of place. Jeremy stood protectively next to Bonnie which Katherine thought was hilarious. Bonnie had ten times the strength of Jeremy and that was just halfcocked once she came into her full powers she would be very powerful even more then Emily was. This potentially means she could become a major threat but Katherine would deal with that when the time came for it.

"Will you dance with me this time if I ask?" Jeremy asked Bonnie grinning at her.

"Are you asking me?" She asked a twinkle in her eye.

"Yeah." He shuffled his feet.

"Then ask her right moron." Katherine said rolling her eyes.

Jeremy glared at her and turned back to Bonnie.

"Bonnie will you dance with me?" Jeremy asked his face red.

"I would love to." Bonnie smiled at him then glared at Katherine before taking off to the dance floor with him.

"Stefan?" Katherine purred giving him the sweet 'doe eyed' look.

"Fine." He grunted pulling her out unto the dance floor.

Caroline frowned and walked over to a group of girls Katherine gave her a wicked smile when she noticed her glancing back at them.

Katherine stoked Stefan's cheek and gazed into his eyes her mouth slightly parted and her eyes wide.

"I love you Stefan." She said.

"Was that you being Elena or you?" He whispered in a low vampire tone.

"The expression was hers, I do love you Stefan, and I don't know how many times I have to say it until you actually believe it." She whispered back.

"I don't believe you're actually capable of love." He said.

"That's just bull." Katherine snapped.

"Careful Elena." He reminded her his face flinching calling her 'Elena'.

"Of course I'm capable of love Stefan." She whispered. "I love you."

"You have no humanity left in you, human life means nothing to you and love...love is a game for your amusement. You didn't care about the damage you left behind. That's not love." Stefan said.

"You seem to be doing just fine Stefan." She whispered in an angry tone. "Not scarred at all."

"I wasn't talking about me." He said glaring at her.

"You're angry about Damon?" She said looking confused.

"You destroyed my brother, me and my brother, he hated me for years because of you. You let me believe you were dead, you let me mourn you, you let Damon obsess over you thinking he could save you someday that he had a happy ending waiting for him. Then finally we come here and start to rebuild whatever it is we're rebuilding here and in you come to try and wreck it all again." Stefan said staring intensely at her.

"Let me count the reasons you hate me." She drawled as he spun her around. They stepped right back into their natural rhythm with each other as if it was 1864 all over again despite the heated conversation. Their bodies seemed to just move naturally with each other.

"That would take all night." He rolled his eyes and sighed in annoyance when she tightened her arms around his neck.

"I didn't wreck you guys again; you were bonding against me a common enemy. Elena wrecked you guys again." Katherine pointed out.

"No she didn't we're not torn apart, I don't hate him or her. I did at first until I saw them. Their happy happier then either of them have been for a long time. I love them both enough to still wish the best for them. It makes me sad and a whole mess of other things but she didn't tear us apart."

Katherine narrowed her eyes in anger, how was it that the doppelganger could run off with said brother and yet still she was forgiven.

"You did though Katherine, and then you tried again when you came here and told Damon it was always me knowing it would kill him, you terrorized Elena and, you you are the one who pushed their feelings for each other." Stefan said.

"I did?" She scoffed.

"The porch Katherine that kiss is what made him realize how badly he wanted it." Stefan said. "And I don't know how I know, but, I just know you had something to with Elena's decision. You weren't at all surprised by it."

"I'm not blind." She said flippantly.

"You can't blame me for that Stefan. It was bound to happen at some point." Katherine added with a pointed glance at him.

"Why? Was it easy to fall in love with him? Am I what too boring? Not good enough in bed?" Stefan asked.

"Are you asking me or her?" Katherine asked.

"You seem to have so much insight into her I can only assume it's because you relate." He said.

"Wrong." She said flatly.

"I never loved him, he was fun and I was bored, I was trying not to get attached to you. I didn't want to fall in love with you Stefan. He was supposed to be the distraction. It didn't work though obviously." Katharine said.

"You destroyed us because you needed a distraction." Stefan shook his head.

"Don't get so angry looking, people will start gossiping." Katherine said coyly.

He sighed and spun her around again his face seemed to relax but his eyes still looked irritated.

"The important thing here is I love you." She said smiling at him. "I didn't love you and then fall for someone else; it was always you and always will be."

"At what cost?" He muttered. "It wasn't even real you compelled me."

"To drink my blood, not to love me," She whispered harshly she was really sick of that statement.

She noticed his eyes flickering off into the distance and turned to see Caroline glancing over at them.

"Stefan, stop making gooey eyes at the blond across the room." Katherine snapped.

"I'm not…she's my friend and she's here alone. I just want to make sure she's okay." Stefan said.

"Whatever." Katherine said pulling his head down to hers quickly.

"What are you doing?" He whispered.

"Kissing my boyfriend at the dance," She smirked pressing her lips against his and snaking her hands through his hair, he remained stiff as she moved her lips against his. She pressed closer and finally his lips parted and he was kissing her back. She could feel her desire taking over quickly and knew she could easily have him now dominate him easily, but Elena wouldn't do that in the middle of the dance. So she managed to pull back and instead smirked knowingly at the sheepish but lustful look in his shadowed eyes.

Hope you liked the update! It was fun to do a Kat/ Elena chapter. Please review!