AN: So sorry on the late update! Just got this one finished. Wanted it to be perfect, so I hope it is! Enjoy! It's a long one! xoxo!

CHAPTER 10:

It's been two days, and Damon and Stefan's parent's barbecue has crept up on me. I'm standing in front of my bathroom mirror, assessing my appearance. My reflection stares back at me-and I must admit-after about four hair-washes without coloring protector, the dye has faded to a tone of my liking. However, there's still a red tint, making it a sort of muted auburn/burgundy. and every time I look at it, I'm reminded of my pink hair from my college days.

As I glance down at the clock on my phone, the time 5:54 flashes, and I resume getting ready. I attempt to zip up my new strapless pink sundress that I purchased with Bonnie the other day at the outlet mall. My arms are too short to fasten the strap properly, and just as I'm about to surrender, Jenna's voice calls from the hall.

"Elena, are you still here?" she calls, and an idea sparks as I walk out into the hall.

"Yeah," I nod. "Hey, Jenna, can you do me a favor and zip this up for me?" I ask softly, gesturing to the zipper with my head.

"Sure," she says with a smile, and I hear her set something down as she walks over toward me. "You look absolutely beautiful, Elena."

"Thank you," I smile, my skin flaming.

"So, what time is Stefan coming?"

"Around six thirty." I say, playing with the tips of my hair. I must say, the color has warmed onto me, but I still prefer my natural color.

When life gives you lemons...

"There you go," Jenna sighs as she pats my back, and I smile as I brush my hair behind my back.

"Thanks," I tell her. Suddenly, the doorbell rings, igniting my interest. It's not even six. Who could be here? Surely it's not Stefan, unless he wants to get an early start to the barbecue. Still, if that were the case, I would still feel that he would message me if he were to be earlier.

Only one way to find out.

"I'll get it," I sigh as I make my way downstairs, my gladiators slapping against the wooden staircase.

"Coming!" I shout when the doorbell rings again. As I whisk the door open, I'm surprised to see that it's Matt.

"Matt?" I breathe. "Wh-What are you doing here? I thought you were still in Atlanta,"

What's he doing back here, and at my house?

"I came back early." He shrugs, then suddenly glances down."Why are you wearing a dress?" He frowns, and I remember that I'm all dressed up. "And what's up with the hair?"

"Wardrobe malfunction," I sigh as I point to my hair. "And I'm just going to some party," I shrug as I move to the side, ushering him in. Matt nods in gratitude as he steps inside. I close the door behind him and follow him into the living room. As he sits on the sofa, I carefully sit on the armchair across from him. I turn to face him nervously.

"What's up?" I ask, frowning.

"Listen, Elena," Matt sighs. "Don't get mad, but Bonnie told me everything. About your parents,"

My eyes widen. Jenna and Grayson in the house, and they can't know about this. I immediately rise to my feet silently, and at Matt's confused look, I guide him outside onto the porch. Once we're outside, I regard him curiously.

"Sorry. Jeremy's the only one who knows what I'm up to, and Jenna and Grayson are home." I explain quietly. "I'm not mad that she told you. I was going to tell you when you came back from Atlanta, but I guess I don't have to anymore. But, I'm confused. What does everything about my parents have to do with why you're here?"

Matt sighs."Well, I did some digging, and I found something that you might want to know," he says warily.

"What is it?" I ask, nervous. What could he have found? Matt's the computer genius, so whatever he found must be more confidential than what Bonnie was allowed to find.

"I found this." Matt sighs as he hands me a piece of paper. I take it immediately and glance at it.

"What is this?" I frown.

"It's an obituary to your parents, written just a few days after." he says.

My emotions suddenly cascade over me, and before I know it, my eyes begin to water.

"Thank you, for showing me this," I say through my watery eyes. "It means a lot to me."

"I know." Matt nods in understanding. "But, Elena, I didn't just bring this over for you to read carefully. The woman who wrote this letter, Trudy Peterson. I did some digging on her as well. She was a close friend and colleague of your parents. And she may be the closest thing that you have to finding answers."

"Oh, my god," I breathe. This is it. This Trudy Peterson woman, she has to know something about my parent's deaths. It's obvious. "Thank you, so much, Matt," I say as I lace my arms around his neck.

"Don't thank me yet," he says, and I frown. "There's one more thing that you should know."

At the wariness in his voice, I pull away.

"What?" I ask nervously.

"Trudy has a very,,,interesting background," he says quietly, and when I frown, he clears his throat. "Criminal record." Matt elaborates, and I swallow.

"What?" I blink. "What did she do? And how did you get her address then? Shouldn't she be in prison?"

Matt sighs. "I don't know. It didn't say specifically what she had been convicted, or suspected of. Just that she has a record with the state. And about the address, my guess is that she's in hiding or something if she's not in jail and she's a suspect for a crime. Maybe you can ask her if you go visit her, and I assume you will." He arches a knowing eyebrow at me.

"Thank you, for this," I tell him as I hold up the paper. "Yes, I'll probably head out to her place tomorrow" I say.

"I can come along with you, if you want," he offers, but I shake my head. I'd take Jer, but after Matt revealed that this Trudy woman had some history with the law, I figure I can't lead my little brother into this. At least this one time, I'm going alone.

"Thank you, Matt. But I need to do this alone," I say, and Matt nods, a look of disappointment in his eyes.

"Just promise me something," Matt says, and I look up at him. "Be careful," he admonishes, and I nod.

"I will," I promise. "But I will do whatever I need to in order to find out the truth, Matt," I tell him.

I owe it to them.

And Jer.

"I know," Matt nods. "And I'm not telling you not to look for answers." he shakes his head. "All I'm telling you is that I hope you can know where to draw the line between life and death."

I nod. "Thanks again, Matt."

"No problem," he smiles as he walks toward the front steps. "If I can help again, let me know,"

"I will. I'll see you around," I wave as Matt walks toward his truck.

"Later," he hollers, and I watch as his truck disappears down the road.

As I'm left alone on the porch, I sigh. Trudy Peterson's address is burning a hole in my hands, and if I hadn't promised to attend this BBQ with Stefan, then I'd already be in my car and on the freeway by now. But my curiosity will have to wait until tomorrow.

As Jenna's voice calls, I step back into the house to finish getting ready.

As I tie the end of my hair into a braid, the doorbell rings once again. I glance at my phone. It's six-thirty, and Stefan should be here. Deciding that I'd better answer the door instead of either Jenna or Grayson, I quickly tie my braid and head down the stairs.

"Is that Stefan?" Jenna's eager squeal startles me as I approach the door.

"Probably," I nod, and the echo of the doorbell rings again. "Could I have a moment?" I ask hesitantly, and Jenna blinks.

"Excuse me." she scoffs. "But I'm not going to miss seeing you off with what may be your future boyfriend," she winks, and I can't help but turn beat read.

"Jenna," I sigh, and she shakes her head. Deciding that she's as stubborn as a rock, I swing the door open.

"Elena," she scoffs.

Immediately, my eyes open wide to meet Damon standing in front of me on my porch. Jenna's squeal is louder than a fired cannon, and I hope that Damon doesn't notice.

"Damon," I breathe, shocked. "W-Where's Stefan?" I ask, trying to see behind him. Stefan must be in the car. Where else would he be.

"We need to talk," he says warily, and I swallow. "Alright," I nod, turning back to Jenna.

"Oh, right," She giggles, her creamy skin turning the color of her hair. "I-I'll just be in the..the-yeah," she scurries off, and Damon and I are left alone. I turn back to face Damon.

"Where's Stefan?" I frown.

"I'm not sure," Damon shrugs apologetically. "All I know is that he asked me to come over and tell you that he would be late,"

"And he couldn't have just called, or messaged me?" I ask, and I suspect that Damon is offended by my words as he purses his lips.

"He forgot his phone," Damon says cooly. "He called from someone else's phone,"

"Okay, well, I guess I'll just wait here for him," I sigh as I walk into the living room toward the sofa. As I'm about to sit down, Damon's voice stops me.

"You can ride out with me," he offers, and I blink as he wanders over toward me. "I mean, you don't want to let that outfit go to waste," he smirks, and I feel my skin heat.

"What about Kat?" I ask, crossing my arms. I think I see Damon swallow, but I'm not sure. "Aren't you two riding out together?"

Damon sighs as he runs a hand through his hair. "She's at home. She doesn't feel well enough to endure my family." he explains, a bitter chip in his tone.

"Damon-"

"Look, I don't know how long Stefan will be." Damon sighs. "So, you can sit here and wait for him for God-knows-how-long, or you can drive out with me."

I know that this is a bad idea.

But he's right.

There's no telling how long I'd be here waiting for Stefan. And what if he doesn't show up? I didn't just go through all of this for nothing.

"Alright," I nod, surrendering.

"Let's go," he nods, and I get to my feet and follow Damon outside.

"Neither you or Stefan mentioned where your parents lived," I ask as we climb into Damon's blue Camaro.

"Well, do you want the long or the short version?" He asks, and I shrug.

"Well, I'll spare you some gory details with the short version. Mom and Dad moved out to Charlottesville a few years ago."

"Charlottesville?"

Damon nods. "Near Whitmore,"

Right.

As I settle into my seat, Damon turns the radio up, and I glance out at the evening sky as it passes by,

Somebody's gonna hurt someone

before the night is through

Somebody's gonna come undone.

There's nothin' we can do.

Everybody wants to touch somebody

if it takes all night.

Everybody wants to take a little chance,

Make it come out right.

There's gonna be a heartache tonight,

a heartache tonight, I know.

There's gonna be a heartache tonight, I know.

Lord, I know.

"What song is this?" I ask as I turn to Damon.

"'Heartache Tonight'. Eagles." he says, and I nod. "You like it?" he asks, and I nod. Immediately, Damon reaches for the volume and turns it up a notch.

"It's catchy," I shrug, as I lean back into my seat and resume my observation of the evening sky.

"So, how long is the ride to Charlottesville?" I ask.

"You've attended Whitmore, and you don't know how long of a ride it is out there?" he scoffs, and I suddenly feel a rush of embarrassment.

"I'm sorry," Damon sighs. "I'm just really annoyed with your sister right now." I see him tighten his grip on the steering wheel.

"It's fine. I understand," I say. As silence fills the car, I turn and glance out at the passing scenery. The golden rays of the summer sun glow brilliantly over the lake, a beautiful landscape.

"It's about a forty-five minute drive."

At the sound of Damon's voice, I turn to him, frowning in confusion.

"The drive," he elaborates.

"Oh," I nod, and silence fills the car again as Damon presses down on the accelerator as he merges into traffic.

"We're here,"

Damon's voice startles me, and I sit up.

"What time is it?" I ask, yawning. As I glance out of the car window, I see that sky has fallen asleep with me, as it's settled to a darker shade of blue.

"About seven-fifteen." Damon says as he unbuckles his seatbelt. "You fell asleep."

"I haven't gotten much sleep in the last few days," I mumble, and as I realize what I've said, I shoot up, wide awake.

"Why?" he asks. At the concern in his words, I'm forced to look into his eyes.

Why does he care?

"Been busy," I say quirky. "So, this is your parent's place." I look through the window and up at the elegant house. The white siding and blue shutters give it a very colonial is a barbecue? It looks like a gala or something.

Damon nods, a hint skepticism etched on his face as he climbs out of the car. "Yeah. I come down here to visit during the holidays."

"It's a beautiful house." I admire as I unbuckle myself. Just as I reach for the handle, Damon whips the door open.

"Thank you," I say as I climb out of the seat. Unfortunately, I misplace my feet and stumble forward. And to my surprise, I'm not lying on the ground.

As I glance up, Damon's arms are around me, gripping me firmly, and I feel as if I can't breathe. My mind is clouding with dizziness. His eyes are on me, wide and observant, and just as I meet them, my heart begins to race. Surely my cheeks are burning. I'm about to say something when another voice interrupts.

"Damon!"

At the sound of an unfamiliar voice, I turn to see a middle-aged woman running toward me. Immediately, Damon releases me, and I steady myself. As the woman nears, I gasp in recognition.

She's the spitting image of Damon. Or, the other way around, I suppose. Her crystal blue eyes are the exact shade of Damon's, and her shiny raven hair is tied up in a bun.

"Mother," Damon smiles, and I watch as he wraps his arms around her petite figure, and as they hug, I realize that her eyes are fixed on me.

"Is this Katherine?" she asks, a hint of bitterness in her voice. Damon releases his mother as he turns to me.

Wait...

Katherine's never met Damon's parents?

Not even after he told them about their engagement?

"This is Kat's twin sister, Elena," he corrects. "Elena, this is Marilyn, my mother."

I glance down at Marilyn's outstretched hand and take it.

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Salvatore," I smile, and I'm treated to a returning smile.

"Oh, It's wonderful to meet you, Elena," she says gleefully. "I've heard so much about you. Please, call me May,"

"Certainly, May," I smile, unexpectedly winded by the fact that Damon has discussed me with his mother. And that Kat's never met his parents. They're engaged, and she hasn't met his parents yet? May smiles wistfully, dragging me back to the present. "Thank you for allowing Stefan to invite me tonight," I say.

"Oh, certainly, dear, certainly," she nods, and her eyes fix on Damon. "Speaking of, where is your brother?"

"I don't know," Damon sighs, running a hand through his hair.

May's face falls. "Well, if you happen to see him, tell him I'm looking forward to a long talk with him."

"Alright." Damon nods. "We'll see you later."

"Bye, May," I wave.

"Goodbye, sweetie," she waves. "I hope to see you around again soon."

As Damon leads me away toward the dinner table, I hear him sigh.

"It seems that my mother is already very fond of you," he says softly, and I shrug.

"Well, the feeling is mutual." I say. "She's such a sweetheart,"

"Yeah," Damon nods. "She has a good heart."

"Damon, wait." I slow to a stop, and Damon sighs as he turns to face me.

"What?"

"How come you've never introduced Kat to your parents?" I ask, and Damon responds with an exasperated sigh.

"Let's just say that Kat's not exactly the woman that my mother would pick for me." He says bitterly, and I frown. "Mom's not too fond of her because she thinks that she's ... a bit high-maintenance and impolite." he shrugs. "I suppose all of those nights when Kat pissed me off or we were in a fight weren't the best nights to call my mother and vent."

"Well, Kat's just..misunderstood," I shrug, searching for a way to defend Kat. "Sure, she can be those things at times, but I mean, deep down, she means well."

"Yeah, maybe," Damon mutters.

"So, what's with the hair?" he asks, and I sigh.

"The hairdresser accidentally left the dye in for too long," I frown. "I didn't even want to get my hair dyed, but she said that it was just a touch-up," I scoff, feeling foolish. "And then next thing I know, I look into the mirror and look like Pippy Longstocking."

"It's not that bad," Damon smiles warmly. "At least it's not green,"

At that, I burst out laughing.

"True. I mean, there are worse things that could happen," I agree.

"Attention please," A man's voice roars over a microphone, and I turn to see a middle-aged man standing on a stage. "We're going to start serving food now, so help yourselves to the buffet."

"Is that your dad?" I ask as I glance back at Damon. The man's features are familiar to Damon's as well, and if he's not his father, then surely he's some relative of Damon's. But it's too far to tell for sure.

"Yeah," he nods, and I think he looks distracted, but I can't be certain.

"You hungry?" he asks, and I nod.

"So, you attended Whit more?"

"Yep," I nod as I push away my plate. I've just had a full-on buffet- a hamburger, french fries, tomatoes, pickles, and pink lemonade.

"Get enough?" Damon asks, gesturing to my plate.

"Too much," I chuckle, and Damon smiles.

"So, what did you study?" he wonders.

"English," I say. "You?"

"Business," he says tiredly. "Dad's always been so keen on Stefan and I adopting the family business once he retires. Stefan's withered his way out, so I'm stuck with obligation duty."

"What did Stefan study?" I wonder, trying to steer away from this apparently sore topic.

"Medicine." Damon says bitterly, and in the background I hear the sound of some country song playing.

I watch as Damon digs around in his pocket, and am surprised when he pulls out his phone. I didn't hear it ring. It must be on vibration.

"Stefan," He hisses. "Where the hell are you?"

At the mention of Stefan, I lean in further.

"What?" Damon growls. "How could you be so stupid?"

"Fine," Damon snaps. "Whatever."

As Damon slams his phone onto the table, I flinch, startled. I've never pegged Damon as one to get upset so quickly.

"What's wrong?" I ask softly. When Damon's fierce eyes draw back to mine, I suddenly feel a chill down my spine and regret asking my question.

"He's stuck in traffic," Damon scoffs. "It's backed up for at least an hour."

"Oh, that's terrible," I say. "So, he's not going to make it in time?"

"I doubt it," Damon shakes his head.

"Then do you want to just go?" I offer. "You don't seem into this, and I'm a bit tired."

"Damon," a voice calls.

A ginger woman comes up beside Damon, and I feel as if she's staring me down. I don't even know who she is, yet she's eyeing me with something close to dislike, even hatred.

"Sage," Damon says as he takes her in his arms. "How are you?"

"I'm alright," Sage says softly, suddenly turning to me. "Is this the famous Katherine?"

"No," Damon shakes his head. "This is Elena, Kat's sister."

I offer my hand to her despite her attitude toward me. It's nice to meet you, Sage-"

"Yeah, you too," she says cooly, ignoring my hand. As she turns to Damon, I pull my hand away.

"So," she smiles. "Congratulations! I never would've thought that you would ever settle down."

"Thank you," Damon nods in gratitude, but he doesn't let Sage's bite go unnoticed. "If you'll excuse us, Sage,"

"Bye, Damon." She waves, not even looking at me.

As Damon lures me away, I turn back toward where Sage was.

"Who was that?" I ask.

"Sage. An old friend." he says.

Immediately, I wonder if he noticed her attitude toward me.

"Don't take it personal," he says, and I glance upward.

"She's very...protective of Stefan and I." he shrugs.

"It's nothing," I say, shaking my head. "I'm fine."

"You're sure?" he asks, narrowing his eyes at me in suspicion.

"I'm fine, Damon," I insist, smiling.

"Alright," he nods, and as a familiar song comes onto the speakers, Damon clears his throat.

"Would you like to dance?" he offers, and I look down to see his outstretched hand.

I chuckle. "You know this was the most embarrassing dance of the nineties?"

"I don't mind a little embarrassment once every blue moon," he smirks, and I can't resist.

As I take Damon's hand, he leads me out onto the dance floor. I get into position beside Damon as the chorus comes.

Dale a tu cuerpo alegria Macarena

Que tu cuerpo es pa' darle alegria y cosa buena

Dale a tu cuerpo alegria, Macarena

Heeeeey Macarena

AAAhAA!

Macarena tiene un novio que se llama

Que se llama de apellido Vitorino,

Que en la jura de bandera el muchacho

Se la dio con dos amigos

I burst out in a fit of laughter as I observe Damon as he sways his hips to the music. This is just priceless. I never imagined Damon to be able to let loose and have fun like this. Perhaps Kat keeps him on a tighter leash when she's around.

I throw my hands onto my head as I follow in sync with the crowd that's gathered onto the dance floor. As I sneak another glance at Damon beside me, he's watching me with pure amusement in his eyes.

"I can have fun, too, you know," I grin.

"No one's stopping you," he says as he turns with the crowd.

"Good," I say, bumping my hip with his playfully. As a result, Damon bounces backward stumbling into a young couple.

"You better watch it," he threatens jokingly as he tries to walk toward me, but he stumbles again.

"Excuse me?" I feign innocence as I cup my hand behind my ear. "What was that?"

"I said-"

Immediately, the group shifts again, and Damon stumbles for a third time. I can't contain my laughter anymore, and I howl in a fit of laughter.

"Aw," I pout playfully. "You're just the king of clumsiness tonight, Aren't you? Well, you better watch out. You wouldn't want to, oh, I don't know... embarrass yourself."

"Yeah, yeah," he mutters as he rejoins the group.

Macarena, Macarena, Macarena

Que le gusta low veranos de Marbella

Macarena, Macarena, Macarena

Que le gusta la movida guerrilera

Macarena sueña con El Corte Ingles

Que se compra los modelos mas modernos

Le gustaria vivir en Nueva York

Y ligar un novio nuevo

AAAAhAA!

When I dance they call me Macarena

And the boys they say que soy buena

They all want me, they can't have me

So they all come and dance beside me

Move with me, chat with me

And if I could I'd take you home with me

Now don't you worry about my boyfriend

The boy who's name is Vitorino

I don't want him, couldn't stand him

He was no good so I

Now come on, what was I suppose to do

He was out of town and his two friends were so fine

Come find me, my name is Macarena

Always at the party con las chicas que estan buenas

Come join me, dance with me

And all you fellas chat along with me

As the song fades out, the crowd roars with applause. Damon and I join in.

"That was fun," I say when a new song plays.

"Agreed," he breathes softly. At the glint in his eyes, I feel my skin heat. Hopefully the darkness prevents him from noticing.

"Would it be too much trouble if I asked you to take me home?" I ask hesitantly. "I'm getting tired,"I say.

"No problem." Damon nods. "Let's go."

As I follow Damon off of the dance floor, I look around for Sage. I don't want to run into her again, and just as I spot her inside the house, Damon's mother pops in front of me.

"Elena," she smiles. "Enjoying the night?"

"Of course," I nod.

"I'm just going to take Elena home," Damon says, and May's gaze shifts to Damon.

"Oh, leaving so soon?" She asks.

"I'm getting really tired," I say. "All of this dancing has worn me out."

"Yes, Damon can dance very well, no doubt," she smiles. "Well, I do hope to see you around again soon, Elena."

"Thank you again, I had a wonderful time," I tell her.

"Sure thing, sweetie." She grins. "Take care,"

"Come on," Damon sighs, and we head to his car.

"Do you mind if we stop at Groovy's for a minute?" Damon asks, and I turn to face him. "I just need to grab a bite to eat. I won't be long."

"You didn't eat at your parents?" I ask.

"I wasn't very hungry then." he shrugs. "If it's a bother, then I can pick something up on my way home."

"No, no. It's fine," I insist. "I probably could use one of Ric's malts to wake me up. It's too early for me to go to bed." I chuckle.

"Well, alright, then," Damon nods as he signals right.

"Damon! Elena!"

As we step into the restaurant, Alraric's cheerful voice greets us.

"Ric," Damon grins as he pats Ric on the back. "Long time."

Ric chuckles. "You think? I was beginning to wonder if you'd been abducted by aliens or something."

"No, just caught up with Kat and my baby bro," Damon sighs. "Elena and I just stopped for a bite to eat."

"Certainly, Certainly," Ric nods excitedly. "It's on the house. Just go seat yourselves and someone'll be with you shortly."

"Thanks, buddy," Damon hollers, and he ushers me over to a vacant booth. I recognize "There She Goes" in the background, but I can't remember who it's by.

"I love this song," I smile.

"It's a good one," Damon agrees. "So, you wanted a malt?"

I nod, my mouth suddenly watering. "Yes."

Just then, a young girl comes with a notepad.

"What can I get for you?"

"Oh, that was good," I sigh, satisfied.

"It looked good," he smiles, and I giggle.

"There's still a bit more left, if you're not ready to explode," I offer, shoving my cup toward him.

"Why, thank you," Damon grins as he sips on the straw. "I've always loved Ric's family recipe."

I nod in agreement. "It's hard to beat."

"So, you had fun tonight?" he wonders.

"How could I not?" I grin. "It was especially fun watching you embarrass yourself dancing to the Macarena," I giggle, and Damon scoffs.

"Oh, come on," he says. "I wasn't that bad."

"No, I suppose not," I agree, my laughter ceasing.

"Well, how about a round two, then?" he gestures upward, and I frown in confusion.

"How about one more dance?" he asks, sliding out of the booth, and I chuckle. "You've got it in you?"

"Always," he scoffs. "Damon Salvatore never backs down."

"Good to know," I giggle as I slither out of the booth. I take Damon's hand and he and I make our way to the dance floor as a new song comes on.

What I like about you

You hold me tight

Tell me I'm the only one

Wanna come over tonight, yeah

Keep on whispering in my ear

Tell me all the things that I wanna hear

'Cause it's true

That's what I like about you

As the second verse soothes in, Damon drags me across the floor. I burst out laughing. I've never had so much fun in one night in my entire life.

"You really can dance," I giggle as Damon sways me around.

"Why, thank you, Elena," he smiles sheepishly, and I'm thrown backwards as Damon dips me downward.

"Damon!" I giggle as I see everything upside down. Immediately, I'm whipped back upward as the song ends.

Suddenly, the song fades out, and a slower song comes on, and I recognize it immediately. I notice that Damon doesn't let go of me. I'm right face to face with him, and I feel every inch of my body tingling as I feel his eyes on me.

"The song's ended," I tell him breathlessly, nervously.

"One more," he says softly. "One more."

"Please," he asks, and because my ability to speak has abandoned me, I nod. Damon wraps his arms around my waist, and I follow with my arms around his neck. As he pulls me closer, I gasp at the sudden move. This is the closest to him I've been. And I feel as if I've never been closer as we move across the floor.

I can't fight this feeling any longer
And yet I'm still afraid to let it flow
What started out as friendship, has grown stronger
I only wish I had the strength to let it show

I tell myself that I can't hold out forever
I said there is no reason for my fear
'Cause I feel so secure when we're together
You give my life direction, you make everything so clear

And even as I wander I'm keeping you in sight
You're a candle in the window
On a cold dark winter's night
And I'm getting closer than I ever thought I might

And I can't fight this feeling anymore
I've forgotten what I've started fighting for
It's time to bring this ship into the shore
And throw away the oars forever

As I digest the words to the song, I begin to feel light headed. Damon's presence registers in my mind and at my side, I feel nervous. The way he's holding me is teasing every nerve in my body. Suddenly, Damon's forehead leans against mine, and I feel my heart soaring. The heat from his body is radiating, and suddenly, I'm warm.

'Cause I can't fight this feeling anymore
I've forgotten what I've started fighting for
And if I have to crawl upon the floor
Come crashing through your door,
Baby, I can't fight this feeling anymore

My life has been such a whirlwind since I saw you
I've been running round in circles in my mind
And it always seems that I'm following you, girl
'Cause you take me to the places, that alone I'd never find

And even as I wander I'm keeping you in sight
You're a candle in the window
On a cold, dark winter's night
And I'm getting closer than I ever thought I might

And I can't fight this feeling anymore
I've forgotten what I've started fighting for
It's time to bring this ship into the shore
And throw away the oars forever

'Cause I can't fight this feeling anymore
I've forgotten what I've started fighting for
And if I have to crawl upon the floor
Come crashing through your door

baby, I can't fight this feeling anymore

When I look up, I see wide blue eyes regarding me carefully. As I continue to look up into them, I notice his eyes shift downward, toward my mouth.

As his intentions become clear, I shake my head. I can't do this. It's not right.

"No." I say softly, painfully. Despite knowing that it's not right, that doesn't mean that I don't wish it was.

That I don't want to.

"Elena, Please," he whispers desperately.

"No," I shake my head, my heart shattering at the sound of my name coming from his lips.

"I need to leave. This was a mistake." I can't think around him, and If I stay any longer, I'll do or say something stupid.

And I can't afford that.

As I walk toward the door, I'm just about to walk out, but Damon's voice stops me.

"You know, when we met, I felt something between us immediately." he says, and I swallow. "And don't say that you didn't feel the same." he scoffs. "Because I don't buy it."

"That doesn't mean that it's right!" I whip around. "It's just not right." I repeat, more to myself.

It just can't be.

"Why not?" Damon shakes his head in disagreement.

For what seems like an eternity, I cannot speak for the life of me.

For some reason, I can't object.

"Damon-" I swallow, frozen in place as he nears me, and with every step that he takes, my heart rate catapults.

Boom...Boom...Boom..Boom..Boom..Boom..Boom.

"S-Stay," I shake my head as I walk backwards, away from him. But to my luck, I'm halted by something, and Damon comes closer again.

"Don't-"

My words are halted as Damon's lips silence me. My entire body ignites with emotion as I feel every inch of my body explode with desire. Damon's hands cup my face, and as I feel my hip bump into a table, I lose it. Damon's hands are suddenly all over me, and my hands are all over him. I grip his hair, pulling lightly. It's so soft. A moan is his response, and I gasp in surprise at the foreign sound. Damon takes advantage, and I feel his tongue enter my mouth.

"Damon-" I gasp in protest, but my body is begging him to continue.

"Shh." he whispers against my lips.

As the song slowly fades in the background, I pull away from Damon, and he leans his forehead against mine again.

"Elena," he breathes as he brushes aside a stray thread of hair.

"Why did you do that?" I breathe desperately. I have to know.

"You already know," He whispers in response.

I do.

And that's the problem.

"I have to go," I say as I make my way out of his grasp. I toss my purse over my shoulder, and as I push open the door, Damon's voice stops me again.

"I know."

Angered that he won't leave me alone, I whip around.

"What?" I hiss, my voice shaking with sadness. That shouldn't have happened. But it did, and there's no undoing it.

Do you really want to undo it?

"I know." He repeats, more sure than before. "I know what happened between us, Elena,"

Immediately, my feet become glued to the floors, and the walls begin to close in.

"Excuse me?" I breathe.

"You know, I called my family in Charlottesville to arrange some wedding details with them the other day, and they'd told me that I'd shown up drunk at their house with some girl one night when I was out there a few years ago. They wanted to know if I'd ever told Kat about that night."

No.

"I had no idea what they were talking about. I thought they were just trying to cause trouble. They never liked Katherine, either." he shakes his head.

"But then I saw you tonight," he says as he moves closer to me again. "And everything clicked into place. I remembered everything. I remembered that night, and who I was with."

As his eyes focus on me, my stomach fills with certainty.

"It was you, Elena," he says so soft that I can hardly hear him.

"I can't do this." I sniffle, gathering myself to the door once again.

"If you walk out of this building, it's because you can't admit that something is going on between us." he says as I stand at the threshold. "It's because you're scared to."

"You're right." I whisper as I turn back around. "I am scared of what I feel for you." I tell him.

"Why?" he asks softly.

"Damon, you're engaged to my sister!" I cry. "And you're telling me not to be afraid of my feelings for you?"

"I'm telling you that this isn't just some fling going on here and you know it," he gestures between the two of us. "It's real."

"And what you have with Katherine isn't?" I challenge.

"What Katherine and I have is nothing compared to what you and I have."

"Damon, Stop.-" I breathe.

"Elena, if you can look me in the eye and tell me that you don't feel anything between us, then I'll let you go."

I can't. I know that I can't.

But I have to.

It's not right.

But I know that he's right.

"I can't," I breathe, closing my eyes in defeat.

"Can't what?" he asks desperately.

"I can't do it." I say.

Immediately, Damon rushes over toward me, and everything changes the moment his lips meet mine.

AN:PLEASE FAVE/FOLLOW. Oh, and PLEASE REVIEW :) It motivates me to update more!

PS: Please check out my other TVD/DE stories Bitten: The Marked,it's sequels Bitten: The Hunted & Bitten: The Saved, The Other Side of Me, Star Crossed and Shelter. I'd REALLY appreciate it :)

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Soundtrack that inspired/were mentioned in this chapter:

Theme Song: Bad Things Meiko

Heartache Tonight The Eagles

Macarena ~ Los del Rio

There She Goes ~The La's

What I Like About You ~ The Romantics

Can't Fight This Feeling ~ Smokie