Thanks for all the reviews! Very mild spoilers for episode 19, Miss Mystic Falls

Chapter Ten

Opening her eyes, Elena smiled at the warm sunlight shining over her body. Turning to the side, her smile faded when she realized her bed was empty.

Standing by the window with a glass of bourbon in his hand, Damon's head whipped to the side when he heard a faint knocking. Taking a sip from his drink, he slowly walked towards the door and pulled it wide open.

"We come in peace," Anna said with a sarcastic smile.

"May we come in, Damon?" Pearl asked in a calm voice.

With a roll of his eyes, he stepped away from the door and moved to sit on the sofa as they followed him into the room.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked, taking another sip from his drink.

"I'm sorry about what happened to Stefan…when the others took him," Pearl began. "I'm also sorry that it has taken me this long to speak with you. The truth is, I don't do well with apologies."

"I don't do well with forgiveness," he replied, his eyes completely dark.

"I am sorry, Damon," Pearl repeated before removing a small item from her pocket and handing it to him.

"What's this?" he asked with a frown.

"The device that John Gilbert's looking for, the same one I took all those years ago," she exclaimed and smiled when she saw the interest in his eyes expand.

Glancing down at the compass in his hands, he shook it several times but the needle refused to budge.

"It's broken."

"No, it's just missing a piece," Pearl explained. "A small diamond that attaches to the end of the needle, shaped like a sword."

"And where would that piece be?" Damon asked, a fake smile on his lips.

"I don't know," Pearl replied with a shrug. "Perhaps the tomb?"

Damon thought over his options before turning towards them with a quizzical expression on his face.

"Why are you giving me this?"

"To make amends," Pearl replied. "Besides, whether or not the missing piece is found, I'd much rather the device be in your hands than John Gilbert's."

He contemplated her response before rising to his feet and smirking.

"You just earned yourself a welcome mat," he exclaimed.

Satisfied with his words, Pearl and Anna exchanged a single nod with Damon before leaving. As the door closed and a faint echo sounded through the house, Damon stared at the device in his hand and smiled.

* * *

"Oh my God," Bonnie exclaimed in surprise.

School had ended and she and Elena sat in Elena's bedroom, going over the events of the previous days.

"So Stefan's gone?" Bonnie asked, still not believing what she had heard.

"Yeah," Elena said with a nod. "Damon's friends, some guy and a girl who were vampires too…they came and took him away."

"To help him?"

"Yeah," Elena said and looked down.

"What's wrong?" Bonnie asked, touching her arm.

"He tried to kill me, Bonnie," Elena said, the sadness in her voice apparent. "I mean, I know it wasn't really him, but every time I close my eyes, I see him that way with his face twisted, blood over his face and his eyes so far gone. I don't think I can get past it."

"Look, you know how I feel about the Salvatore brothers," Bonnie began. "I still blame them for what happened and I probably always will. But I'll try to be a good friend and give you the best advice I can, okay?"

Nodding, Elena wrapped her arms around herself.

"You've been through a lot these past few days and you're emotionally and physically spent," Bonnie continued. "I just think you need some time."

"I don't think time's the problem," Elena replied. "I mean, I still love him and I think I always will but I can't go back."

"I'm sorry," Bonnie said, rubbing her shoulder in comfort as Elena smiled her appreciation.

"If Damon and Alaric hadn't been there…," her sentence trailed off.

"I can't believe that either," Bonnie said as Elena looked up at her with a frown. "Alaric, yes, but the fact that Damon saved you…I can't believe it."

"He isn't as bad as he seems," Elena argued

"Yeah, Elena, he is," Bonnie said firmly. "Wasn't it you just a few weeks ago who said Damon Salvatore was an 'evil, self-serving psychopath with no redeemable qualities'?"

"Yeah, I know," Elena said with a sigh.

"So what changed?"

"He saved my life, Bonnie, twice," Elena replied. "And not for some twisted selfish gain. He did it just to save me, and…"

"And what?" Bonnie asked, sensing her hesitation.

"I've been having nightmares…about Stefan," she began. "Last night, he stayed with me while I slept. I mean, he actually let me hold his hand so I could fall asleep."

"Damon Salvatore?" Bonnie asked skeptically. "Are you sure you've been wearing your vervain necklace?"

"Yes," Elena said, pointing to the chain around her neck. "For the first time in weeks, I slept without any dreams."

"I'm sorry, but am I hearing this correctly?" Bonnie exclaimed. "I mean, are we even talking about the same guy? The one who prances around town feeding on whoever he wants, whenever he wants? The one who would do anything or kill anyone for his precious Katherine?"

"I know, Bonnie," Elena agreed. "I know what he's done and what he's capable of, believe me. I'm just saying that not everything is as black and white as I thought."

"Elena, even his psycho vampire ex-girlfriend wants nothing to do with him, based on the fact that she was never even in the tomb all these years," Bonnie said with a sigh. "She saw him for what he really is. Why can't you?"

"He could have stood back and let me be completely humiliated at the pageant but he took my hand and danced with me instead," Elena said before rising to her feet and facing her friend. "He could have easily let Stefan bite me, but he didn't. He had three stakes wedged into his body but he still found the strength to push Stefan over the railing and save my life."

"Elena…," Bonnie tried.

"Stefan bit him," she suddenly said.

"What? That night?"

"No," Elena replied, her eyes saddening. "One hundred and forty-five years ago."

"But I thought…," Bonnie began, her sentence trailing off.

"Stefan asked Katherine to change him because he wanted to be with her forever and when she asked Damon if he wanted the same, he said no," Elena explained. "He wanted to be with her but he didn't want to lose his humanity in the process."

Bonnie watched her friend in silence, nothing but surprise written over her face.

"When Stefan found out, he was angry and he bit his brother in revenge."

"Damon didn't…?"

"No, he never wanted this," Elena said with a sigh. "Stefan did this to him. He wanted him to share his fate."

Running a hand through her hair, Bonnie rose to her feet.

"Look, as your best friend, I am so grateful that he saved your life," Bonnie exclaimed. "But a few good deeds don't right a lifetime of wickedness."

"I understand what you're saying, Bonnie," Elena said with a small smile. "But I guess I just see him through different eyes than you."

Turning away, she walked towards her window and stared up at the moving clouds in the blue sky above. Bonnie eventually went home and after an uneventful dinner with Jeremy and Jenna, Elena returned to her bedroom to sleep. Tossing and turning all night, she finally gave up at eleven and tossed the covers aside. As her eyes searched through the dark room, they landed on the same rose that was always on her mind. Rising to her feet, she quickly dressed in jeans and a sweater and placed a few other belongings in her purse. Quietly walking out of her room, she scribbled a note for Jenna on the kitchen table and left the house.

Within thirty minutes, she had walked into the Salvatore estate and was climbing the stairs. Turning towards Damon's bedroom, she quietly crept inside and scanned the darkness before her eyes landed on his sleeping form. Moving towards him, she noticed that he was sleeping on his back in the center of his King sized bed. Wearing only black dress pants with his top bare, his face was turned away from her while his right hand lied on his chest. Biting her lower lip, she slowly crawled onto the bed before lying down on her side, facing away from him. Shutting her eyes, she took comfort from the closeness of his body before drifting off to sleep.