"You were the stranger, who told me what I wanted from life?" she opened her eyes and sounded like she hit jackpot. Damon was taken aback by Elena's sudden question. With everything going on, he didn't realize that Elena will remember everything, he once compelled her to forget.

" Why did you compel me to forget?" she looked confused.

" I didn't think it would matter' he shrugged. " I mean it didn't matter back then, I just wanted you to remember what I said but not that I said it. I had different agenda back then"

" It explains so much. I wondered for the longest time, why that phrase stuck with me" Elena smiled at Damon.

" You are not mad?"

" No, I am not mad. Thank you for telling me, back then. When my parents died, I remembered that phrase and pushed myself forward. I wanted to find what you described. You put things, that I couldn't describe, couldn't form in to words, into such simple thought"

" Why don't you want to push yourself now?"

"Damon, don't" Elena gather her strength to sit down. She winced at the amount of pain little movement caused her.

" Why not? I mean it is reasonable question. I watched you go through so much. You handled it with such strength. You didn't back down or check out. I mean how many times you convinced me not to give up with Stefan? I am going to do the same for you, Elena. I will help you. I will be there every step of the way, guiding you. I will not let you do anything you will regret. I promise you. If you could just try" Damon was pleading, he was holding her hands close to his heart. His icy blue eyes looked at Elena with such love, care and tenderness. It melted Elena inside out. She looked up in his eyes., this why she needed to speak to him, he always told her the truth. He didn't tried to shield her for it. She needed to hear it from him, the possibility of her going through the transition.

" I guess the main reason why I don't want to go through with it, is that I'm scared. I am afraid that I'll change and become a different person… the person everyone will …." Elena was looking for the right word, but she seemed lost.

" The person everyone will judge?" Damon tried to help her out.

After some internal struggle Elena nodded, how did he know? How did he know that was what she was afraid of, judgment.

" You let others guide your life, you let other people set standards for you. I mean you always listen to Bonnie's judgy comments. And not only you listen to them, you manage to feel guilty after them. You carry a lot of guilt on your shoulders. Like the one for Stefan. You feel guilty that he turned into Ripper don't you? You don't have to answer. I know. Somehow in your head you see that everything is your fault. It is not, Elena. Sometimes, just sometimes, you know, people do things just because they want to" His last words were mocking as he smirked at her. He could see the affect of his words on her, she was doubting herself.

" You are right…" she said after remaining silent for couple of minutes.

" I know, shocking!' his eyes widened in fake shock. She laughed out, it was so easy being with him, she felt like she could tell him anything. Even things she would never tell Stefan. He always listened, no matter how she hurt him, pushed him away, he was always there when she needs him. She didn't do the same for him…

" I'm sorry, Damon." She saw surprise in his eyes and continued "You are always here for me, when I need you. But I don't always do it for you…"

" It's what I do best, trusty shrink Damon Salvatore, at your service." He said it with such doze of sarcasm, it made Elena laugh again. " But turning to more pressing issue… Will you listen to me and drink goddamn blood already?"

" I can't…"

" WHY now?"

" It is silly…You told me it needs to be blood from human, I can't deal with it. I don't think I am ready to face that kind of… as you put it judgment…"

" So that's what it comes out to? You are afraid of what others will think of you, if you willingly dig your teeth into someone? Yes, Elena it is very silly!" Damon couldn't help but roll his eyes. Elena and her never-ending moral dilemmas. But he did see that for some reason it was important to her. Maybe it was due to all of her feeling being heightened? Could her humanity, guilt take over and lead her to believe such ridiculous thoughts? But then again who he was talking to? Of course it would!

Damon heard Jeremy's footsteps outside the door, perfect timing he thought… " I guess my backup plan, will be useful after all ".

"Then let them blame me " he said to Elena, before she could react Damon got up and turned to Jeremy, who just opened the door.

"Still willing to do whatever necessary for your sister?" before Jeremy could answer Damon launched in his direction. Jeremy didn't expect Damon launching at him, he tried to defend himself on reflex. They knocked over a table and rumbled on the floor. Damon got up lifting Jeremy along side with him.

" DAMON, DON'T!" she screamed realizing what he was about to do. But it was too late he already sunk his teeth into Jeremy's neck. Elena jumped off the bed and rushed over to them, she stumbled and fell down in the process. When she got up all she saw was Damon's bloody lips and Jeremy standing in front of her. She couldn't look away from the wound on his neck, smell of blood hit her nostrils burning. She felt desire for blood, it was taking over her, but she tried to fight it.

" It's okay, Elena" Jeremy said to her " I know you will not hurt me. You need it" Jeremy knew it was too much what Damon did… But then again Elena was dying…

Elena stepped closer to Jeremy

" Oh my God, Jer… I can't…I'm so sorry…" she cried

" ELENA, It's okay! I don't want you to die! I need you to stay here with me!"

Jeremy's words calmed her down. Elena looked up at Damon, he nodded.

The taste of blood was so sweet, it was as she was starving for years. Blood spread in her throat, it was like she was drinking forbidden elixir. She closed her eyes from pleasure.

" Elena, its enough…" she heard Damon's soft voice though her nirvana. He pulled her away from Jeremy. She was disoriented at first, not understanding what was going on. But she felt herself becoming stronger, less fragile and no longer weak. The color returned to her cheeks and her lips became more pink.

" I'm sorry Jeremy" she whispered ashamed.

" It's okay! Really, I am fine!" Jeremy hugged his sister. Now he realized what exactly Damon meant earlier in the day.

" What happened?!" Stefan's voice broke the silence, he and blondie were standing in the doorway. It took him a second to assess the situation. He managed to put two and two together, as soon as he saw Damon with blood on his face.

" WHAT DID YOU DO?! " before anyone could respond Stefan was at his brother's throat. He kicked Damon so hard he flew across the room, and then Stefan caught up with him on vamp-speed. He lifted Damon up and smashed him against the wall again. Usually Damon would be able to put up a good fight, but he was weak. He didn't have any blood since before Alaric tried to kill him and it took a toll.

" Stefan STOP!" Elena tried to reason with him, but he was on full rampage mode. He continued to punch Damon so hard he was coughing blood.

"STEFAN STOP! PLEASE! You going to kill him!" Elena inserted herself between Stefan and Damon. Stefan let go of his brother and he dropped to the floor out cold

What do you think? i know it's a little risky, Jeremy and all. But it did feel to me, like something Damon could do.

As always Thank you for reading and if you have time i'd love to know what you think.

THANK YOU!