A/N: OK, so this site's being having problems for a couple of days and disabled story/review submission so we're not sure if an email actually went out when Chapter 9 went live. So if you haven't heard about an update in about a week, you probably need to read 9 too :). Thanks to everyone who managed to review despite the issues, and remember how much we love to hear your opinions! Sorry this one's a little short, but it felt like the right place to end the chapter and the next one should be up fairly soon. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Not ours. Unfortunately.

1864

Elena POV

It lasted only a few seconds, but those few seconds were the sweetest I'd spent since coming to 1864. Damon wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close. Unable to prevent myself, I kissed him back. Somehow, I felt that in Damon's arms I could find sanctuary from all the insanity that surrounded me. Somehow, it felt right to be here.

Then I came to my senses and pulled away.

'Damon, we can't.' My voice sounded uncertain even to me.

'Why not?' he asked quietly, although I could see in his eyes that he knew the answer. He ran one finger gently down my arm, sending shivers through my whole body.

'Because in 2010 I'm in a relationship with your brother.' The words hovered on the tip of my tongue. I wanted so much to be honest with him – I was so fed up of lying - but knew how much that knowledge would hurt him.

'Because if Katherine finds out, I don't even want to know what she'll do to you,' was what I said instead. 'Me, I doubt she'll hurt until she finds out what she wants to know, but you…I don't want her to hurt you.' I couldn't resist laying a hand on his cheek, gently tracing his cheekbone with my thumb.

He reached up and took my hand in his, and I realised I'd never seen so much pain in his eyes. Not even when we'd opened the tomb and he'd discovered that Katherine didn't care about him. For a second we looked at each other, and despite Stefan, despite Katherine, despite everything, I wanted nothing more than to kiss him again.

Then the front door of the house opened, shattering the moment. Damon dropped my hand abruptly, and quickly grabbed the abandoned drinks, once of which he pushed into my hand.

'Your drink, Miss Pierce,' he said, averting his eyes from my face.

'Thank you, Mr Salvatore,' I replied, trying to sound casual.

A second later, a man I vaguely recognised had exited the house. With a smile at Damon and I, loitering awkwardly on the patio, he headed off in the direction of the road.

'See how close that was?' I whispered. 'Anyone could see us and news would get back to Katherine. She's won, Damon. And I'm going to be gone in two weeks anyway. This wouldn't be smart.'

'I know, Elena.' was all he said, but the look on his face made me want to take it all back, to reach for him and say that we could be together after all, that we'd just have to be careful. I forced myself to stay quiet. This really was the best way.

With one final glance at me, he turned and headed back into the house. I leaned back against the wall, blinking tears out of my eyes. After a few seconds however, fury replaced sadness, and I followed him. Katherine was not going to have the satisfaction of watching me break down. In fact, in that moment I wanted to fight back more than I ever had before. She'd told me to leave Damon alone, and I would. But she hadn't said anything about Stefan.

Once inside, I headed straight for where Stefan and Katherine were standing in a corner, purposefully not looking either to the left or the right. I knew that even making eye contact with Damon would break me.

'Elena!' Stefan exclaimed when I arrived. He looked genuinely pleased to see me, while Katherine merely fixed me with a poisonous glare that clearly asked what the hell I thought I was doing. 'How are you enjoying the ball?' Stefan asked. 'I hope you're having a good time with my brother?'

'I am,' I replied smoothly. 'But he seems to have disappeared for the moment, and as I love this music' - I waved a hand generally in the direction of the couples dancing in the centre of the room- 'I wondered if you would dance with me. I'm sure my dear cousin' – I smiled sweetly at Katherine – 'won't mind if I steal you for five minutes.'

Deep down, I felt vaguely guilty for using Stefan like this, but the urge to lash out at Katherine was stronger, overwhelming both guilt and the voice in the back of my mind that was telling me exactly what a stupid idea this was.

'Of course I'll dance with you,' said Stefan immediately. Always the gentleman. 'You don't mind, do you Katherine?'

'Of course not,' she replied sweetly, saving her threatening look for me. 'You two have fun.' She turned and swept away, leaving me with a feeling of satisfaction. I'd definitely thrown her. This round had just gone to me.

Stefan led me onto the dance floor, and I tried to focus on dancing with him. There was another reason I'd wanted to do this. I'd hoped that dancing with Stefan would remind me of the amazing relationship that we had in 2010, and would help clear some of the confusion I felt.

Unfortunately, that was the exact second I caught sight of Damon, watching us from across the room. The hurt and betrayal on his face slashed through my heart like a knife. He turned and left the room, but the look on his face remained with me. I closed my eyes, focusing on Stefan's hand on my lower back, and Stefan himself, right in front of me. Stefan, my boyfriend. Stefan, who I was suppose to love.

My plan wasn't working. I was in Stefan's arms, where I'd been so many times before. I should feel comfortable, happy. Instead, I wanted nothing more than for the dance to finish so that I could follow Damon and explain that this had only been a ploy to hurt Katherine. That I'd been unable to stand by and do nothing after she'd threatened me. After she'd hurt both of us.

Finally, the dance did end. I thanked Stefan quickly and rushed off in the direction that Damon had gone. The anger that had blinded me was quickly evaporating, and I was realising exactly how much damage I might have just done. Not only had I angered Katherine, but I'd possibly just done irreparable damage to my relationship – friendship – whatever with Damon.

I knew that it shouldn't matter, that I was going to be gone soon anyway, but that didn't stop the image of Damon's face when he'd seen me dancing with Stefan from hovering in front of my eyes. I desperately searched the crowd, absently muttering excuses in response to several people who tried to start a conversation with me.

I found him outside, almost in the same spot where we'd kissed, leaning on the edge of the patio. Although he was staring out across the grounds of the Lockwood mansion, I could tell he wasn't really seeing them.

'Damon,' I said, letting my voice trail off. I had no idea what to say.

He turned, and I recoiled from the pain and anger in his eyes. 'What, Elena? You say you can't be with me because Katherine' he almost spat her name 'says so, so you decide that being with my brother would be just as good? You didn't even have the decency to wait a night, start staking your claim on Stefan tomorrow.'

'Damon, it wasn't like that,' I pleaded, but he cut me off.

'You have a lot more in common with Katherine than your looks, Elena.'

I flinched as if he had physically hit me, and for a second I saw remorse flit across his face. Then it was gone, and he tried to push past me, making for the house. For a moment, I considered letting him go. That last comment had cut me deeply. But I knew, deep down, that he was just hurt that yet another person seemed to have chosen his brother over him.

Taking a deep breath, and ignoring the fact that in 2010, I too had chosen Stefan, I stepped sideways, blocking him.

'Damon, I only did that to hurt Katherine.' I said in a rush. 'After you left earlier, I was…angry with her for forcing us to stay apart. For trying to control us. I wanted to fight back. There's nothing between me and Stefan.'

It felt strange to say those words. After all, there was so much between me and Stefan in my own time. But somehow, saying them caused me no pain at all. All I felt was a desperate need for Damon to forgive me.

He'd stopped trying to get past me. Taking my face in his hands, he lifted my chin so I was looking into his eyes.

'You wouldn't prefer to be with Stefan?'

I didn't even hesitate, something for which I would hate myself later. How could I lie to him? Was I lying to him? Or was I lying to myself? 'No, Damon. I wouldn't.'

He leaned forward and kissed me gently on the lips. Again, it felt so comfortable and just right that I couldn't stop myself leaning into him and kissing him back.

I heard a noise behind us, but this time didn't pull away. I didn't care who saw us. As long as it wasn't-

'I thought,' interrupted an ice cold voice from behind us 'that I told you to leave Damon alone.'

I knew before I turned around, but I prayed it wasn't her. Anyone but her.

I turned slowly, trying to delay the inevitable, then instinctively reached for Damon's hand. As if he could protect me from this.

Standing there, arms crossed over her chest, a terrifying expression on her face, stood Katherine.

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