Gwen awake with a start. The vampire Damon had nearly hit stood at the hood of the car with a curious expression on his face. "Hello Gwendolyn. How do you do?"

Gwen shook Damon. "Wake up! Wake up you vampire asshole!"

"Damon won't wake up for a while." The vampire said. He held up an empty syringe. "I injected him with vervain to keep him down for awhile."

Gwen ignored the vampire and continued to shake Damon. "Wake up!"

"You're wasting my time human and I would like to ask you some questions." He said.

"Will he be okay?" Gwen asked.

"A little sore and a whole lot pissed but no worse for the wear." The vampire said.

Gwen hesitated. "What's your name?"

"Elijah."

–––––––––––––––––––––––––

Damon came to, slowly. His body ached everywhere and he had a killer headache. It almost felt like he'd been injected with vervain or else had the hangover from hell. That car crash did a number on him and Gwen. He reached over to touch Gwen and felt only the seat next to him. Damon opened his eyes and looked around. There she was…right outside the car…being held by Elijah. "What are you doing here Elijah?"

"Talking to the psychic." Elijah replied. "Do you have a problem with that Salvatore?"

"Damn right I have a problem." Damon said. "Let go of the girl."

"Don't give me demands Damon. I could kill her, and you, before you could blink and you know it." Elijah said. "Besides, I'm not here to hurt the girl. I'm here to help. You jump to conclusions too soon Salvatore."

"I just don't want you to snap her neck." Damon said. There was a moment before he said. "And therefore snap my neck."

"You don't care if I snap her neck as long as I don't snap yours in the process?" Elijah asked.

"I do believe that's what I just said." Damon replied.

Elijah smiled. "Very well then. How do you feel about that Gwen?"

Gwen glared at Damon through sparking green eyes. "Not surprised. That's for sure."

"Well," Elijah said. "Stefan sent me to help."

"I ask for help and he sends another target Klaus will be after." Damon said, he threw his hands up in the air. "Let go of Gwen, Elijah."

"I don't know how safe I feel without a hostage." Elijah said.

"Why must you treat me this way?" Damon asked. "Please let Gwen go and leave. Just leave."

"I, for one, would prefer that he stay and help. Or at least have a helpful reason in leaving." Gwen said.

Damon gritted his teeth. "Exactly what is your point in being here?"

"To help." Elijah said.

"Thank you Captain Obvious." Damon said. He saluted sarcastically. "To help with what?"

"Whatever you need." Elijah said.

"Can you distract Klaus away from Mystic Falls for a while?" Damon asked.

Elijah thought about it. "I can try."

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Damon and Gwen walked along the side of the road. Gwen kicked a stone again and again and again. "Why didn't you ask for a ride?"

"I didn't think about it and Elijah isn't one to offer." Damon said.

"So…" Gwen said. "What's the story between you two?"

"No story. He tried to kill Elena and I'm pretty sure he'll betray us to Klaus whenever he wants." Damon said.

"Strong feelings for such a little story." Gwen said.

"I don't trust him. We haven't had good experiences with the Originals." Damon said.

Gwen thought about this. "How many Originals have you met?"

Damon gritted his teeth. "Two."

"And Klaus is the other one. You are judging Elijah by someone else's actions." Gwen said. "That's not fair to Elijah."

"Life isn't fair." Damon said. All too often that had been shoved down his throat, life isn't fair.

"You don't have to be so hard and jaded. There is a world out there full of beautiful, wonderful things. You just have to look for them." Gwen said.

"Really?" Damon said. "Like puppies and rainbows?"

"No. Like family, friends, and love." Gwen said.

Damon curled his hands into fists. "I have none of those."

"You have a brother for family. You have me for a friend."

Damon laughed. "My brother hates me and I had to kidnap you. What about love Gwen? No one can fall in love with a monster."

"You're not a monster Damon. You're someone who had a bad situation thrown at him." Gwen said. "Besides, if you weren't a vampire we would never have met."

"Then you could have gone on living your happy, monster-free life." Damon said. "I ruined that."

"No Damon. You brought me something better. Your friendship." Gwen said. "I like you just the way you are. Fangs and all."

"Thank you." Damon mumbled.

"What?" Gwen said.

"I said–" Damon stopped when he saw the smile on Gwen's face. "Aw, come on Gwen. Don't make me say it again."

Gwen sighed. "Fine. I'll just have to replay it in my mind over and over and over again."

"You are never going to let me live this down." Damon said. "I think I'm–Look!"

Damon was pointing to a rental car agency. Gwen smiled. "Is this when I learn to hotwire a car?"

"No." Damon said. "I'm going to rent it."

"Oh." Gwen sighed.

Damon smirked. "You've been spending too much time with me."

"I enjoy spending time with you Damon." Gwen said.

"Ditto." Damon said. Then he laughed because that was something Gwen would say.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

"Turn left now." The GPS said.

Gwen tapped the thing warily. If they turned left now they would pull into a lake. "I think it's broken."

"GPSs usually are." Damon said.

"Not your first rental?" Gwen asked.

"Definitely not." Damon said. "I travel too much to put all those miles on my own car."

"What kind of car do you drive?" Gwen asked.

"A Ferrari." Damon said. "A red Ferrari."

"Seriously?" Gwen said.

"It's flashy." Damon said.

"It's tacky." Gwen said.

Damon scowled. "What do you drive?"

"A VW Beetle." Gwen said with an air of defiance and pride.

Damon snickered. "A Bug? You drive a Bug?"

Gwen blushed. "Yes. Yes I do. Do you have a problem with that?"

Damon snorted but said. "No, of course not."

"Liar." Gwen said.

"Oh yeah." Damon said laughing harder.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

YOU ARE NOW ENTERING VIRGINIA. Damon took a deep breath. This was too easy. They'd skated through every state since Nevada without a hint of Klaus.

This isn't over Salvatore, Klaus's parting words echoed in his mind. He looked at Gwen and remembered Klaus's other words. I'll make your death slow and painful human. You will beg me for a mercy I don't have.

"Something on your mind? Klaus?" Gwen asked.

Shivers ran up his spine. Gwen could be downright creepy when she did that. "Klaus has been on my mind ever since I started this trip."

"That's weird." Gwen said.

"Not like that I–" Damon started. "You're trying to distract me."

"Maybe. Is it working?" Gwen asked.

"It might be." Damon said. "I think you're going to have to work a little harder."

"There was a game at my high school when I was a teenager. They called it the nervous game." Gwen said. She placed her hand on Damon's thigh. "I'm going to slowly move my hand up your thigh until you either swerve the car or win."

"I think I like this game." Damon said with a smirk.

Gwen slowly moved her hand up and inch, then another. Another two inches and Damon was swallowing hard. Another inch and Damon was attempting to conjure every non-Gwen related image into his mind. One more inch and Damon swerved the car. "You win."

Gwen laughed. "You're a wimp. You gave up too easily. There was still four inches l–"

Damon slammed on the brakes, twisted in his seat and kissed her. She tensed for a moment, in surprise, before relaxing into it. Her lips were warm where Damon's were cool. Damon slid a hand down her side to her hip and Gwen put her arms around his neck.

"Get a room!" Someone shouted as they drove by.

Gwen pulled away. She was flushed and her eyes were wide. "What did you just do?"

"Was it so bad that you don't even know?" Damon asked.

"What did you just do?" Gwen repeated.

"I kissed you Gwen, and I liked it." Damon said. "And you liked it too."

Gwen hesitated, "Yes, I did. But–"

"But what?" Damon asked. "There's nothing wrong with a kiss."

"Why did you do it?" Gwen asked.

Damon stopped, unsure. "I did it…because you're a beautiful woman and there's chemistry between us."

"That's it?" Gwen asked.

"That's it." Damon said. He pushed down the gas and started to drive again.

Gwen placed a hand on her lips. Dear God, she thought, I have feelings for him.

AN: We all knew it was coming...Now on another subject, please go to my profile page and vote for what story you think should be written next. I really can't decide. Also, you guys have stopped reviewing. I don't know why but I want you to start again. As always thank you and enjoy!