All's Fair in Love and War

A fic by Jen

Rating: Okay, this is *finally* going to start earning that 'M' rating.

A/N: I wanted to say thank you to all of you who have welcomed this fic back so warmly. It really inspired musie and I have it pretty much done now, so I decided to post this early. Hope you all enjoy it. I will get some pm's out this weekend, but to all of you kind enough to leave a review-this early chappie is for you.

Okay, we're taking off right where we last were. Elena is upstairs in Damon's room snooping through his room and Kat had officially let the cat out of the bag, so to speak by telling Damon her own biased version of the truth. Of course he reacted with typical Damon impulsiveness and decided to get plastered, make a booty call and simply forget...

Okay...now we're all caught up, on with the show.

Damon's Room:

While Katherine was downstairs, ripping her world apart, Elena was in Damon's room, so engrossed in Lily's stories about her family, that she completely lost track of all time. She giggled out loud at a few of the tales about Damon and his impulsive ways; like the trip to Africa he'd planned, so he could feed the children there with his stash of Twinkies and cookies! Elena had actually laughed out loud at that little episode. Another great one was when he'd tried to rescue every snake in the garden by hiding them in his room—that is until they all escaped and terrorized the house for months! She chuckled softly as she'd imagined the rest of the house's reaction to his 'rescue mission'! With each and every tale, Elena got a better view into Damon the child. He'd been quite a handful; a true rascal, but one thing always rang true in all the wild and crazy adventures; Damon's heart had always been in the right place. He had never intentionally tried to hurt anyone.

Elena was determined to find out what had happened to him to change him so drastically from a loveable scamp, into the cold, aloof and sometimes brutal man he was today.

Elena was still wiping tears of mirth from her eyes about one of Damon's adventures when she heard someone storm past the room. She froze, heart pounding in fear at getting caught snooping like she was, but then the door at the far end of the hall slammed and Elena let out the breath she'd been holding. She paused for a moment, wondering what had set Kat off this time. It must be Damon. She almost put the diary back, but the next entry Lily had made on December 15th had her heart breaking and she couldn't help it, she simply had to read on…

"Well, I received some terrible news today. It appears I have a heart condition and if I don't get a heart transplant within the month, I will most likely suffer a fatal heart attack. It is not the kind of news you'd want for Christmas, but I have decided not to curse the God I love for giving me this fate. He has his reasons and I accept them. Of course, Giuseppe went ballistic. He wants to buy me the transplant, but I refused. There are other people on that list—people who need this surgery as badly as I do. These people have waited longer, and I will not let Giuseppe use his money to improve my chances. Of course Giuseppe is angry at my decisions, but that is to be expected. In his way he loves me, but he will get over my passing—quicker than he imagines now. He is a survivor. Stefan will also rebound quickly because he is so young. He will have his father to comfort him. But, I do worry for Damon. Who will comfort him? Who will love him with all their heart like he deserves? Certainly not his Father! I think the only thing I am angry at is that Giuseppe has two beautiful sons—yet he only has room in his heart for one."

Elena's eyes watered with those words. Lily had complained about Giuseppe being too harsh on Damon and expecting too much from him at such a young age, but this was the first time she had come right out and said he treated the boys differently. Suddenly Damon started making more sense to her. She read on, tears flowing as with each entry, Lily bravely accepted her dim future, while keeping up the façade of perfect health; filling her children's last days with her with happy memories as Christmas approached.

When she got to the entry that was Christmas day—Elena felt her throat close up with sadness knowing this was most likely Lily's last Christmas with her family.

December 25:

Oh Diary, my dear friend, today was a wonderful day filled with the happy laughter of my boys as they opened their presents this morning. Even Giuseppe was on hand for the occasion and (shockingly) he didn't even complain once at how I spoiled the boys this year. I suppose it is because we both know this is, more than likely, my last Christmas with them, but it doesn't matter. Today was sheer joy and I am still basking in it! Stefan was overjoyed with the Super-Nintendo system Damon talked me into buying for him. I am not sure who laughed more, me or my children, as they tried to teach me to play some game called Super Mario Brothers! Oh we had such fun! Damon was simply thrilled with the video recorder he received. His face just lit up like a Christmas tree, however, (and I am grinning as I write this) I don't know if anyone in this house will have a moments' peace now that he can follow us around and record our every movements! The camera he had before was bad enough. Lord knows how we will all deal with this, but I couldn't resist. He is so clever with his pictures, I am sure he will be just as spectacular in making movies.

Speaking of Damon, the most amazing thing happened this Christmas. My son grew up before my very eyes. Last night, he discovered me putting out the 'Santa' presents. I was literally caught red-handed with no excuses except the truth. Oh, the sadness I felt as I watched the glow of youthful innocence fade away from my son's beautiful blue eyes...it was heartbreaking, however, that sadness was rivaled by the pride I felt when he suggested we "keep this news between us because Stefan couldn't handle it." I wanted to hug him so hard, but he was such a little man about it—protecting his brother. Damon is so strong, yet so vulnerable. I can only wonder who will protect him when I'm no longer here to do so.

Elena tried to stop the flow of tears, but it was useless. Lily's obvious love for her children made her heart ache for the Salvatore brothers and for herself too. She'd never known that kind of love. It made her ponder the question of what was worse: To have that kind of affection in your life and then lose it—or to never have it at all?

She supposed both options sucked, and as she wiped the tears from her cheeks, her sympathy for Damon went up another notch.

January 3rd

You know, I try to love and support my husband. God knows I do, but I cannot understand his reasoning as he continues this course to drive a wedge between our children. The other night Damon climbed on the roof to film that comet everyone has been talking about and fell off. Of course I was worried, (that boy has a way of finding trouble!) but I was also proud of his ingenuity and bravery. But do you think Giuseppe saw that? No! He ridiculed Damon for getting hurt and then took away his new video recorder! Of course, Damon is angry with his father for punishing him. I think he knows if that had been Stefan who pulled such a stunt, Giuseppe would have called it creative. I am worried Damon is changing due to the burden Giuseppe places on him for being the heir. He is only 12 for Gods sakes! He is not ready to take the helm of the Family business and I wish Giuseppe would stop expecting him to be so mature. Later, I watched his recording and it was wonderful. He is so creative! So, I went around Giuseppe's back and Damon and I watched it together. He was so happy that when Giuseppe found out and was (of course) furious—it was well worth the row we had over it. To see my son smile so proudly like he did when we watched his video, that, dear diary, is what makes my life worth living.

January 4th

I fear there will never be a resolution to the differences between my eldest and his father. Giuseppe has punished Damon even further for the Comet disaster! I do not see why my husband feels the need to brow beat his son, but sadly, I don't know how much longer I will be here to be the buffer between them. My latest tests weren't good. My heart is strained, my arteries clogged and the doctors do not see a way to repair the damage in time to save my life unless I have a transplant and a by-pass surgery. Giuseppe tried (again) to talk me into taking his offer of a bribe to the 'right people' and I refused (again). He told me I was throwing my life away and stormed out of the Doctor's office.

In a way, I can understand his anger, but I still cannot accept the gift of life when it means taking that precious gift from another. It's funny. I can't help but think how ironic is it that the very muscle that will eventually fail me, and take my life, is the one thing keeping me on the right path. I guess it's true. Life is full of irony.

Elena's heart ached for the brutal decision Lily had been forced to make. How had she stayed so unselfish? It truly mystified Elena, but the more Elena read, the more she came to admire the woman.

January 6th

I put the boys to bed early tonight. Giuseppe is still livid after our conversation with my Doctors' and we had another row earlier—one I definitely did not want the boys to hear. My husband is so set in his ways that he cannot fathom the reasoning behind my decisions. He says I have given up, but I haven't. I have simply accepted my fate as God wills it. I pray every night for life, but Giuseppe does not know this since he rarely looks at me anymore. It is like I am already gone for him and it's for this reason exactly that I will not allow him to tell our children. Giuseppe says I should prepare them, but how? There is nothing I can say that will make this news understandable, and since I want my children to have happy memories of me, not sad ones I think it best to keep my illness a secret.

Why is that so hard for Giuseppe to understand?

Elena felt sick at how Lily had basically gone through her ordeal on her own. Her husband was obviously a domineering man who was used to getting his way, and yet, Lily stood up to him; for herself and for Damon. Elena couldn't help but wonder, how different would Damon have been if his mother had lived? It was a question that made Elena experience all kinds of sadness for the bitter man he was today.

**********************************D&E*********************************

The Guest House:

The Salvatore guest house was really a three bedroom, 1,800 sq. foot condo with a large master bedroom, complete with the en-suite bathroom and king sized bed that dominated the room. All of which were things Damon was so fond of.

He had spent the better part of the last hour in the bed, trying to make the most of his booty call, however, to his shock his ever trusty dick was acting more like a frightened turtle, than the tall and proud soldier it normally was.

He pulled Andie's hand off his uninterested cock and flounced back on the pillow. "Jesus, this is crazy…what's wrong? This has never happened to me!" he complained, throwing an arm over his eyes as if it could block out the horror and embarrassment of this situation.

Andie lay on her side, her figure curled up next to his naked body. She trailed her nail over his well sculpted chest and abs. "You're kind of drunk…" she said as if making an excuse for his lack of performance.

Damon raised his arm and cracked open an eye to glare at her. "I've been drunker and still managed to get it up. This isn't the liquor talking here," he snapped. And it wasn't. Damon knew alcohol induced male malfunction and he wasn't nearly there yet. No, his trouble was Andie. She just wasn't 'her'! Dammit, now even his dick was going on strike—the fucking Gilbert sisters were ruining him!

Andie started placing kisses down his chest, heading south of the border. "If you want I can try again to make it good for you…"

He stopped her. "Don't bother. I'm just…" He tried to come up with as clever excuse, besides saying 'Hey, sorry, but you just have the wrong hair color, the wrong eyes and your hips are too damned narrow!' Instead Damon pulled her up for a kiss. "Sorry, babe, I guess I'm just tired." He wriggled his brows and asked, "Rain check?"

Andie pouted for a moment and Damon winced as he mentally prepared for an argument, but then she nodded and he exhaled. Good. But, when she didn't make a move to get dressed, Damon gritted his teeth. Okay, she got that it wasn't going to pop for them tonight. Now, if she would only just…go. He didn't want to throw her out, but he suddenly wanted her gone ASAP. Jeez, why had he thought inviting Andie over had been a good idea again…?

*********************************D&E*********************************

As Damon was realizing the folly of his ways in trying to forget Elena, she was getting a glimpse into his last days with his mother. The next entry literally made the tears stream down her face and Elena's tender heart bled for Lily Salvatore.

January 11th

I fear my illness is getting worse. I find myself getting tired easily.I cannot run and play like I used to just last week. The medication the Doctor has me on makes me so violently ill, I have stopped taking it. More often than not I find comfort in my chair by the bay windows in my room. I have felt Damon's inquisitive blue gaze on me constantly, as if he knows all is not right with me. It takes all my willpower not to squirm under his watchful eye. I suspect he knows something is wrong, but is too frightened to voice it aloud. Even Stefan has picked up on it and he asked me yesterday if I was okay. It breaks my heart to know I will be leaving them soon. On an even gloomier note, Giuseppe asked me how I wished to be buried today. I think he was trying to shock me and it did. It hit me then. I am going to die soon and I desperately do not wish to. Who will take care of my boys? Who will tuck them in at night and tell them a bedtime story? Giuseppe will take care of Stefan, but who will take care of Damon? Lupe will, (God bless her) but I fear Lupe's love will not be quite enough to keep Damon's sensitive heart safe. Giuseppe's disregard for Damon has given my eldest the notion that he's not good enough to be loved. I worry constantly if I'm not here to tell Damon how special he is—how will my son grow up? Will he be a bitter man like his father, or will he be the dynamic, passionate man I imagine him to be? It Hopefully Damon will meet a woman who will love him as fiercely as he deserves and they'll be happy together. It is my most fervent wish and one I ask God for nightly.

Tomorrow I want to take the boys on a boat ride down the river to fish and swim in the lake near the falls. I am conserving all my strength for this grand adventure. Fishing is an interest they have in common and finding those has become a favorite pastime of mine. I hope times like these will create a bond between them that Giuseppe's favoritism won't destroy later on.

When Elena flipped to the next page and found no more entries, a small gasp left her when she realized Lily must have died shortly after that day. Did they ever go on the trip? She turned page after page, but they were all blank. It was heartbreaking and her shoulders slumped. She took a deep, shuddering breath, tears blurring her vision as she closed the book, and for a moment, she bowed her head for the woman who'd lived so valiantly for her children. Reading Lily's last thoughts and feelings had been devastating to her and she'd never met the woman. Elena could only imagine what Damon had thought as he read it. No wonder he was so angry sometimes. She completely understood now why Katherine's decision to marry Stefan had cut Damon so deeply. Why he treated women as expendable. Every woman he'd loved had left him-starting with his mother. It was tragic that Lily hadn't lived because Elena imagined Damon would be a totally different man if she had. He might not have fallen for Katherine, the woman who'd taken the wedge that Giuseppe had started and slammed it home; creating a harsh, gaping chasm between the brothers that was so wide, Elena wasn't sure if there was an olive branch alive that'd be strong enough to survive the trip across it.

Elena set the cherished book back inside Damon's drawer and sat there quietly for a moment as she reflected on everything she'd learned about the Salvatore brothers, both today and since she'd been here. Stefan, being the youngest, hadn't been forced to endure his father's ruthless demands; therefore, he'd been allowed to be a child. While Damon hadn't been afforded that luxury growing up; his father had insisted he live up to his role as his heir and it showed in the ruthless way Damon treated people today. Both brothers' were damaged, she was sure. However, Damon was far more complicated. On one hand he could be charming, charismatic and sexy as hell, but with a flip of the switch, he could be rude, insulting and cold as ice. His mother's words about him haunted Elena, making her want to dig deeper into the side of him that she'd glimpsed briefly—the playful, vulnerable man that teased her unmercifully; he was real. Elena was positive, and it was that side of Damon that she wanted to wrap her arms around and hold; cradling him to her chest until all his monsters went away.

Getting to her feet, Elena made up her mind. She would go and find him, get this whole sordid situation off her chest and come clean, like she had planned. Damon had wormed his way into her heart and settled there until he'd become vital to her. Elena knew if she wanted any kind of future relationship with him, it was time to tell him the truth. She wiped her hands on her jeans nervously before exiting his room. She wasn't fooling herself, what she was about to tell him might just ruin things between them, but she had to do it. He wasn't going to let it go and she was too honest to lie anymore. The deceit was killing her. They both needed the truth and it would be so much better coming from her rather than someone else.

*********************************D&E*******************************

Andie zipped her pencil thin black skirt and slipped her feet into her Jimmy Choos. Damon was reclining on the bed, looking beautiful and suddenly she didn't really want to leave. "You know," she said, desperately trying for nonchallant, yet failing, "if you want, I can go get some take out...you know and maybe we can just...I don't know, hang out…watch a movie." She came over to the side of the bed and ran a hand down his muscular chest to his belly. "Maybe if you get some food in you…things might perk up?"

Dinner and a movie? What did she think this was…a date? Damon barely resisted rolling his eyes at her. "Nah," he said, moving away from her touch and running a hand through his messy black hair. "I think we should abort this mission for tonight, but if you wouldn't mind handing me that bottle on your way out…I promise to make it up to you another time," he teased, wagging his brows at her and giving that smile of his that had women of all ages weak in the knees.

Andie sighed, but walked over to the side table where the bottle sat and picked it up anyhow. "Do you really think you need any more of this?" she asked, handing it to him.

Damon scowled. If he wanted to hear her nag at him, she'd be more than a part time fuck buddy! "I haven't had nearly enough, trust me." He patted the bottle. "At least my good buddy Jamieson here will never lie to me." He took a swig from the bottle. "Close the door on your way out, will you?" And just like that he was already tuning her out.

Andie glared at him. "I swear! I don't know why I put up with you!" she snapped, grabbing her small black purse and slinging the strap over her shoulder. "Call me when you're sober!" she called back at him over her shoulder as she exited the bedroom suite in the guest house.

"Then that'll be never!" Damon yelled after her, ignoring the extra slam she gave his door on the way out.

Good riddance! He thought as he cradled his bottle. Women! He should swear off them for a while—they were nothing, but trouble.

He heard the front door open again and thinking it was Andie coming back, he yelled from the bedroom. "What did you forget your panties?"

To his surprise, the bedroom door opened to reveal Elena—or at least he thought it was Elena. To add consternation to his shock, she looked pissed and (surely his mind was playing tricks on him) hurt, too.

"No, I'm pretty sure I'm still wearing mine, but I'm assuming someone else did," she sniped. "Wow! I can't believe how wrong I was about you. You're irredeemable! You don't care about anyone, but yourself, do you?"

It took Damon all of a second to snap out of his inertia, and to Elena's fury he started to laugh at her. "Oh, this is too much," he said, "You calling me out for my bad behavior!"

His words he lit a spark in Elena. All her pent up emotions and anger exploded and she just blew up, calling upon the language she'd learned to use when trying to fit in with the boys in boot camp. "You are such a fucking filthy pig! What won't you fuck?! Does it have to have two legs or four? Aren't you worried one day your dick might just shrivel up or fall off? Or do you like playing Russian-Roulette with your cock?!"

Elena went on and on, jealousy and disappointment driving her as she rained down her fury in a potty-mouthed diatribe that had Damon staring at her in opened mouth shock.

Damon was silent as she unleashed her wrath down upon on him, calling him names he was pretty sure would have a marine blushing! Finally when it looked like she'd run out of steam, and she had no more insults to throw his way, he crossed his arms over his naked chest and merely raised a brow at her. "Are you done? Because, I don't think you've gotten around to insulting my dog yet?"

Elena dragged her eyes away from his far too tempting figure lying there so decadently and obviously naked. The white sheet that covered his groin and one leg seemed to inspire her imagination to run wild, rather than provide the coverage it was designed for. "You don't have a dog," she muttered. "However, you may be one," she added with a brittle smile. She had been ready to pour her heart out to him and he'd been here getting his jollies with some tramp! It made Elena sick to her stomach.

Enough was enough! Damon had had a hell of a day and he really didn't need her coming into his sanctuary and acting all holier than thou. "You've got a lot of balls," he said, shaking his head, "I'll give you that. Talk about nerve. Coming in here, breaking balls and chastising me on morality! Wow! That's fucking hilarious!"

Elena had a moment of a sickening sensation of dread before he dropped the bombshell.

"What are you even doing here, anyways? Shouldn't you and Steffie be in Barbados by now?"

And just like that, the tide turned and all the angry wind was sapped from Elena's sails. Her full-steam-ahead anger wilted to no-steam-left mortification.

"Wh-what did you say?"

"Did I stutter?" he shot back.

He knew! Elena fought the urge to be sick. "Damon…"

"Answer the question," he prompted. "Why are you here? Shouldn't you be off pretending to be Katherine and seducing her husband?" he asked, an ugly twist to his sensual mouth, "After all, that was the agreement, right?"

When she remained frozen and mute, Damon made a *tsking* sound. "Oh come on, Elena. You had so much to say a minute ago. You've got quite the vocabulary there," he taunted. "Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" His gaze darkened and he his lip curled derisively. "Or better yet…Did you kiss my brother with that mouth?"

It struck Elena like a bolt of lightning. He was jealous. He was also furious, and with good cause. Kat must have thrown her under the bus today. She should have known her sister would save her own ass first. Elena wanted to kick herself for not telling him the truth earlier.

She didn't see any way out of this situation, so she decided to do what she'd intended from the start. She would simply tell him the truth. "I didn't go with Stefan," she told him softly, but clearly.

Damon nodded and made an *hmmm* sound. "I think that's pretty obvious," he said with a smirk, "but that was you, not Kat, who left with him earlier, right?"

Elena gave a small, imperceptible nod. The tables had turned so swiftly and now it was Elena who was on the defensive with Damon looking at her, like she was something awful he'd stepped in. It made her cringe inside. "Damon, let me explain…"

"Explain what, Elena? Explain why you lied to me when I asked you to tell me the truth or maybe you'd like to explain how you agreed to fuck Stefan, so that your sister could worm her way back into my bed? Is that what you'd like to explain? Because, if you can…" He waved a hand, giving a short bitter laugh. "Be my guest. I've been wracking my brain all day, trying to find a reasonable explanation for it and I've gotta tell you, I've got zip! And you know why?" he growled, pinning her to the spot with his livid blue gaze, "Because there is no reasonable explanation for that kind of twisted logic! That's why!"

Elena's spirit kicked in and she raised her chin. "Hey, you aren't the victim here. Your affair with Katherine started this whole sordid ordeal!"

He rolled his eyes. "God and don't I know it!" he muttered, raking his hand through his hair. He took a deep swallow from his bottle, enjoying the burn for a moment before he added, "Trust me, I take my share of the blame here for setting Katherine on this little obsession of hers, but what I do not and will not take responsibility for, is your actions." Elena wanted to shrivel up and simply disappear underneath his accusing glare. "I gave you plenty of opportunities to come clean with me, but you didn't. You left with Stefan today. It doesn't matter you didn't actually get on the plane—" He stopped midstride. "Which reminds me, why didn't you? You and Stef looked oh-so cozy when you left."

Elena wanted to lie—desperately, but she had already come to the decision to come clean and she was determined to uphold that choice. "Katherine called. We hadn't switched phones and then Stefan got called to the Hospital."

He gave another short, bitter laugh. "So, if Kat hadn't called and Saint Stefan wouldn't have had to go running off to be the hero—you would have went?"

"No!" she denied hotly, and then just as quickly changed her answer. "Yeah, maybe, I guess. I don't know." It was as if the air was getting sucked from her lungs. Her chest ached. Her stomach churned and she felt sick. She wrapped her arms around her middle as if it would stop the cramping. "I didn't want to, but I felt like I didn't have a choice."

"You had a choice, Elena!" he snarled. "I gave you an out. You didn't take it. You decided to prostitute yourself instead!"

She reared back as if he'd physically assaulted her and tears sprang to her eyes at his cruel words. "God! How can you say that?! It wasn't like that," she cried. "I never planned on sleeping with Stefan! I had a plan to make sure that didn't happen."

"Wow! I hope that's not the story you're sticking with, coz, I gotta tell you…not your best effort. Maybe if you cried a bit more it might sound more believable."

"You're an ass!" she snapped and spun on her heel to leave.

Damon laughed, but it was harsh and acerbic sounding. "Better than being a whore!" he yelled after her.

Elena flew back into the room. She was so mad she literally saw red as she pounced on him. She drew her hand back and let it fly, slapping him across the face so hard, that Damon had to wonder if his grandchildren would still hear the ringing in their ears.

"You bastard!" she spat, raining down blows on his head. "I am not a whore. If anyone is a whore it's you! A man whore, who sleeps with anything with a pulse, so don't you dare sit there and judge me you son of a bitch!"

He fended off most of her blows, before he finally put a halt to her assault on his person by grabbing her wrists and shaking her so hard, her head snapped back and forth. "Do that again and I fucking swear to you, you'll regret it."

Real fear slithered up her spine at the fury in his eyes, but Elena's instincts kicked in and she didn't even think first, she simply reacted by head-butting him.

Damon saw stars for a moment, before his anger soared and he hauled her onto the bed, intent on punishing her like she'd just went off on him. He rolled them so that she was pinned under his superior body weight, intending to have her under control, but she went wild under him, bucking and struggling underneath him. Damon almost groaned aloud when his recalcitrant penis finally decided to join the party and the more she fought with him, the more aroused he got.

"Settle down!" he bit out, neatly avoiding her blows as he tried to keep her from doing any major damage. She was crafty and stronger than she looked. He'd already barely missed being made a eunuch when her knee went straight for the family jewels and just missed. "Elena, stop!" he all but shouted in her face.

"Then get off!" she snarled.

"Keep wriggling like that and I just might!"

At his snarky comment, they both froze, the intimacy of their position hitting them like a punch to the gut. Damon was in between Elena's thighs, and at some time during their struggles, the sheet had been lost. Damon's erection got painfully hard as he realized he was only her jeans kept him out of her delicious heat. Elena's shirt had been torn and the lacy cup of the hot pink bra she was wearing was peeking out where her shirt had ripped. Damon licked his lips as his eyes zeroed in on that bit of delectable lace and what it contained.

"Fuck," he breathed, unconsciously tightening his grip on her wrists.

Elena sensed the change immediately and her heart sped up for all new reasons. The ache in her stomach headed south and centered between her legs as she watched him lick his lips. "Damon, get off me." Her wrists ached, but the emptiness inside hurt more and it took all of Elena's control not to rub against him shamelessly.

"I'm going to kiss you," he whispered raggedly, instead of letting her go.

Elena shook her head frantically. She wasn't sure who she was trying to convince, him or herself with her denial. "We can't," she murmured, her eyes glued to his mouth. "This is insane. We're fighting." His head dipped, bringing his impossibly succulent looking lips closer and Elena tried one more Hail Mary to stop him. "But, you hate me!"

Damon didn't answer. If this was hate, then he would hate her long and hard. If this was insanity, then he was all for crazy! Because, despite the anger and pain, Damon suddenly realized, there was nothing he wanted more, than to taste her sweet lips again.

"Oh God," Elena moaned just as his mouth settled over hers in a slow, drugging kiss, that left her breathless and had her toes curling in her boots.

Damon could only agree whole heartedly. Oh God was right. But, as she opened for him and allowed his tongue access, prayers seemed to be a moot point. His were already being answered. Only Elena tasted like a slice of heaven, while still making him hot as hell!

In his aroused state, his hold on her arms loosened and Elena was able to pull her hands free. However, instead of pushing him off her, she tunneled her fingers through his messy hair and kissed him back with full force. Their tongues dueled, their breaths mingling hotly while they danced the mating ritual of dominance; both of them giving in and embracing the passion that had been simmering between them ever since they'd first laid eyes on one another.

His hands went to her jeans and the *ziiipp* of her zipper was loud in the room. Elena closed her eyes, burying her face in the pillow next to her as she allowed him to slide her jeans down her thighs. Just then, a scent on the pillow got her attention. It was perfume and it wasn't her brand. Like a bucket of ice water dumped on her head, Elena was reminded that he'd just had another woman in this bed.

Damon dragged her jeans down her legs and tugged them off, tossing them on the floor.

"No! No! We can't," Elena groaned, bringing her knees up and clenching her thighs together, keeping him at bay.

Stunned, Damon was forcefully ripped from his sexually aroused stupor when her thighs closed like a bear trap and he was suddenly left out in the cold. He blinked at her, at a loss as to what caused her sudden about face. "What are you talking about?" he panted, very close to whining, he was so turned on. "Why can't we?"

Elena tossed the pillow at him. "I can smell her perfume, Damon. It's kind of a mood killer."

Damon caught a whiff of the perfume Andie always wore as the pillow sailed past his head and gave a low groan of understanding. "We didn't…"

"Don't lie to me, Damon. Her perfume is in your bed!"

His brows drew down sharply. "Me lie to you?" He laughed harshly. "Oh, that's rich coming from you!" He shook his head and grabbed the sheet from the bottom of the bed and wrapped it sarong style around his waist. "You know what? Forget it," he bit out, tucking the end at his waist. "Why am I even explaining myself to you? You took off with my own brother today to do God knows what! As a matter of fact, maybe you already did." He stretched out over her, planting his hands on either side of her shoulders. "Is that your angle here? Already took one Salvatore out for a test drive and now you want to trade up to the better looking model?"

Elena shoved him off her and sat up in a huff. "You are such an asshole!" She sat at the edge of the bed and started to desperately look for her clothes.

Damon flopped back on the bed and smirked at her. "Yeah and you're a tease."

"I wasn't teasing you. I just don't want to sleep with you where you just had sex with another woman! Is that so hard for you to understand?!"

He wriggled his brows, doing his eye thing. "Who said anything about sleeping?"

Elena gave a strangled cry of fury. "Never mind. You're just hopeless. Why do I even care?"

He was on his knees in a heartbeat, grabbing her arm, effectively halting her from leaving his bed. "Do you?"

"Do I what?" she asked, trying to pull her arm away, but his grip tightened almost painfully. "Damon, you're hurting me."

His expression was intense as he searched her face. "Do you care?" he reiterated, still holding onto her arm, but relaxing his grasp slightly.

She stopped struggling to pull away as his fathomless blue eyes seemed to see right inside her soul and pull the truth from her. "Yes," she answered softly. "I don't know why and sometimes I wish I didn't, but I do. I care about you."

"I didn't sleep with another woman tonight," Damon impulsively confessed.

It wasn't much of an olive branch, but for him, it was something. A small smile curved her lips upwards. "You didn't?"

He shook his head. "I was going to." He shrugged, as if trying to make his admission less meaningful. "Wanted to, actually, but…I couldn't."

Elena knew he'd had some of the tainted alcohol, but that had been hours before. It wouldn't have affected him this long. That meant he couldn't, because he hadn't wanted to. "Why?" she asked, edging closer to him, so that she could face him and see his eyes when he answered her question.

"Does it really matter?" he quipped, glancing away from her steady browned eyed gaze.

"It does to me," she replied, placing her hand on the side of his face and turning him, so that he was looking at her again.

Once again, she was egging him on, daring him to take her bait.

Damon wasn't one to mince words and he'd never been afraid of a dare or the truth, but for once in his life, he wanted to run away from both. He didn't. It wasn't in his nature.

"I didn't have sex with her, because she wasn't who I wanted. She was a distraction and a lousy one at that," he replied with brutal honesty.

Elena paused for several seconds, her heart racing. He hadn't slept with whatever bimbo he'd had here because of her. He hadn't come out and said it, but she knew it without having to hear it. It wasn't a declaration of love by any means, but with all the murky waters of mistrust and miscommunication still roiling between them, Elena decided it was enough to make her take the chance on believing in him.

She got off the bed and took his hand. Damon glanced down at their interlocked fingers and raised a brow. Elena didn't respond, she simply tugged and he allowed her to pull him from the bed and into the bathroom.

"Really?" he commented when she turned the water on in the shower, "Washing away our sins?" His lip curled. "I think you're a little late for me, sweetheart."

"Not washing away our sins. Just conserving water," she said, turning on the cold just a tad to make the water was hot, but not scalding. She caught Damon staring at her ass in the mirror and her belly clenched with desire. She wanted him, and for once in her life, Elena wanted to throw caution to the wind, rip a page out of Katherine's playbook, and simply take what she desired. She turned to face him, shoulders back, proud. The lust in his eyes made her feel bold, so she reached behind her back, and (before she could even debate her actions) unfastened her bra. It slid down her shoulders and Elena let it drop to the ground, giving Damon his first view of her breasts.

"Sometimes sinning is good," she said huskily.

*******************************************************D&E********************************************************

Okay, I know...that was cruel to leave it there, but the next chappie is pretty much going to be one of my epic smut chappies and for those of you who aren't into that (though why you're reading my fic-is beyond me) you can simply skip that chappie and move on when the next chappie is posted. Anyhow, hope you liked all the emotions in this one. Damon and Elena needed to explode a little and believe me, it isn't over yet. ;)

So, click the button, feed the musie and that fickle little beeyatch will feed me. Kay? Good. :)

Jen