I hope you all have enjoyed this ride! It's been an interesting one for me – sometimes you assume you know how something is going to go and it completely surprises you!

Chapter 10

Damon sat in the oversized leather chair in the library sipping on a glass of wine. Since when did he choose wine over whiskey? Oh yeah, since Rebekah became part of his life. She had turned things upside down. Elena was everything Damon ever wanted. That's what he thought, what he had focused on for the last three years. So why now, when he had exactly what he thought he wanted, was he feeling unsettled and unsure? Why did every inch of his being want to call Rebekah and ask her advice? Why did the idea of leaving Mystic Falls make his stomach clench in dread?

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't hear anyone approaching until the doorbell rang. He stood slowly and walked to the door, not wanting company. He swung open the door with a scowl. "What?"

Rebekah stared at him then frowned. "What the hell is your problem, Salvatore?"

He laughed at her expression. "Sorry, I didn't realize it was you. Wasn't in the mood for company." She handed him the clothes she had worn home that morning and started to turn away when he grabbed her arm. "I said I didn't realize it was you. You, I want to see."

She smiled and walked in the door. "Didn't go well with Elena then?"

He sighed heavily. "See that's the thing. It did go well. That's why I'm confused."

"You're going to have to give me more to go on, Damon. I'm not following."

He smiled and offered her a glass of wine. When she nodded, he continued, "She told Stefan she can't be his friend anymore. Just like I asked."

Rebekah accepted the wine, taking a sip before saying, "That's good right?"

He nodded. "Yeah, that's good. So I asked if Stefan is leaving Mystic Falls. She said no. We are."

Rebekah's expression went blank. She wasn't sure how to react to that. "You are?"

"That's her plan. And two weeks ago, hell a week ago I probably would have jumped at the idea."

"And now?"

He looked at her, his expression more serious than he'd ever seen it. "I don't want to leave. For the first time since I got back here I have something other than Elena to focus on."

"Like what?"

That made him smile. "Like what? Like you. Like a life outside of all the drama that has been my existence since I met Elena Gilbert."

"But you love her."

"I think I finally understand what people mean when they say sometimes love isn't enough."

"What are you saying, Damon?"

"I'm saying that I don't know that what I feel for Elena is what I want for the rest of my existence. It's different, I'm different than I was when I fell in love with her. I was obsessed with her and with winning her heart. But how much of that was to beat Stefan? He took Katherine from me, whether he intended to or not. She loved him more than me. I wanted him to know what that felt like. I wanted Elena to love me more, to choose me. And now that she has? Doesn't feel like I thought it would."

Rebekah stared at him, stunned by his admission. The Damon she had known would have done anything for Elena. "Are you sure about this?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I'm positive. And I know why."

"I don't understand Damon."

"I wouldn't expect you to. Because I just figured it out myself. It's because of you, Bekah."

"Me?"

He nodded again, smiling as he pulled her up to stand in front of him. He put his hands on her waist and looked at her. "You showed me a different side to connection, to what it feels like to be with someone, care about someone without it having to do with anything or anyone else."

"What are you saying Damon?" She felt her ancient heart catch as she felt the intensity of his eyes staring into hers.

"I'm saying I'm falling in love with you Rebekah Mikaelson."

"Damon we talked about this. We're just friends." She pulled away from him and turned her back, staring at the window.

He moved up behind her, circling his arms around her waist. "I know that's what we said. But that's not how I feel. If you tell me you don't feel more I'll walk away. But you have to tell me you don't want me."

She turned to face him. "I could tell you that. But I'd be lying."

He pulled her against him and gently kissed her lips. "Never lie to me."

She smiled into his kiss. "I won't. I have to know you're sure about this. Elena has been your focus for three years, Damon."

"Focus, yes. Obsession, yes. Did I love her? Yes. Am I in love with her now? No. Am I falling in love with you? Yes. Absolutely 100% yes."

Her eyes lit up at his certainty. "Okay. I believe you. Now what?"

He pressed his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. "I have to tell her."

"Oh. That's not going to be easy."

"No it's not. I don't want to hurt her. But I can't do what she wants and the sooner I'm honest with her, the better for everyone."

Rebekah pulled away and nodded. "I'm going home. You know where I'll be later if you want to see me."

Damon smiled. "There's no 'if' there. I'll call you when I'm heading your way."

Rebekah kissed him softly. "Okay. Good luck."

Damon sighed. "Thanks. I'm going to need it. Her emotions are still all over the place so I'm a little worried about how she will react."

Elena buzzed around the living room while she waited for Damon. She had been surprised to hear from him so soon after they met at the coffee shop. She heard his car approach and waited at the door until she heard his footsteps on the porch then opened it, smiling at him. As soon as she saw the look on his face, her smile faded. Something wasn't right.

"Hey Elena."

"Hey. Come in."

He nodded and walked inside, closing the front door behind him. "Is Jeremy home?"

"No, he's at Matt's. It's just us."

"Okay. Let's sit down."

Elena frowned as she led the way into the living room. "What's wrong, Damon?"

"Elena, I don't know how to say this other than to just say it. So here goes. I can't leave town with you. I belong here."

Elena felt her eyes well up with tears. The worst part of becoming a vampire was losing control of her emotions. "We can stay here," she whispered.

He shook his head. "I knew I would screw this up. What I mean is, this isn't going to work, Elena. I thought it would make a difference if Stefan was out of the picture and if it was just us. But it's too late. Things have changed too much. I've changed too much. I don't feel the same way I did before."

Tears streamed down her face. "I don't understand, Damon. You love me. I love you. What's changed?"

"I'm not in love with you anymore, Elena. It's not something I planned to happen. It just did. I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt you."

She looked at him, tears still streaming. "Do you love Rebekah?"

He wiped tears from her face. "It's not about Rebekah."

"That answers my question." She curled up on the couch, her back to Damon. "I need to be alone, Damon."

"Promise me you won't do anything crazy."

"I'm not your problem anymore."

"Elena…"

"No, Damon. How I deal with this is my choice, it's on my conscience not yours. I need to be by myself. Please leave."

Damon stood up and looked at the girl he would have given his existence for. He wished he could take her pain away but he knew that she would survive. She had gotten through much worse. On his way out to his car he called Caroline.

"What do you want, Damon?"

"Will you come be with Elena?"

"Why? What happened to her?"

"Just please do this for her."

Caroline heard the sadness in Damon's voice and while she typically despised the older Salvatore brother she could hear the concern in his pleading. "I'm on my way."

Damon drove around the back roads for a couple of hours. He wanted to see Rebekah but he needed to have a little time to himself first. He was certain of his choice and didn't want Rebekah to misconstrue his concern for regret or second-guessing his decision.

He turned his car toward the Mikaelson mansion while his phone dialed her number. The phone rang several times and he didn't think she was going to answer. As he started to disconnect, he heard her voice. "Hey."

"Hey yourself. Are you okay?"

She hesitated slightly. "It's been a few hours."

It hit him that taking that time had done the exact thing he hadn't wanted to do. It made her doubt that he had gone through with breaking things off with Elena. "Okay I am an idiot. I'm on my way to see you now. Will you let me in?"

She sighed. "Of course I will. How could I resist hearing about you being an idiot?"

He laughed. "Five minutes."

"I'll be waiting."

He pulled into the driveway and parked next to the car Rebekah had been driving since her brother's departure. He moved quickly to the door and found it open with Rebekah standing there, waiting expectantly to hear his story.

"Hey."

She opened the door to let him in but didn't say anything. He walked inside then spun around, grabbed her and pressed her against the door. Despite her irritation at him, her eyes flashed with passion and he smiled. "That's more like it."

She growled and pushed him off easily. "Don't be cocky, Damon. You know me well enough to know what you've put me through tonight."

He nodded. "That's why I'm an idiot because I was trying to do just the opposite." He held out his hand for hers. She reluctantly took his hand and let him lead her into the living room. "When I left Elena's, over two hours ago just for the record, I was sad. Not because I regretted making the choice I made but because I never wanted to hurt her."

Rebekah nodded. For all of Damon's bluster, he had a loving heart. Which is what she had seen as she'd gotten to know him and what had made her begin to fall for him.

"So I didn't want to come here and you see that and think I was regretting my decision. I decided to drive around for a little while before I came to see you. But time slipped away from me and instead of making you feel better, I did the opposite."

Rebekah watched him and saw more glimpses of the man she had seen these past few weeks. She smiled. "You tend to get in your own way, don't you?"

He laughed. "Yeah, you could say that. Forgive me?"

She nodded. "Of course. Might need you to do a bit more soothing of my feelings though."

He raised an eyebrow and waited for her to expand on that but she didn't. She watched him, that same passion flaring in her eyes that he had seen when he pressed her against the front door. "I think I can do that. As much soothing as you need."

Rebekah smiled and waited on Damon to move towards her. He pulled her to him and kissed her neck. "Come upstairs with me."

She nodded and let him lead her up the stairs to her bedroom. Tonight they would continue what they had started the night their friendship began, falling in love with the one who understood them best.

The End.

Sometimes what you think you want isn't what's meant to be. Thank you to everyone who read along! Until next time….