A/N: Interesting what some of you said about the whole 'Kings of Leon' thing last chapter. Personally, I rarely listen to them myself. :L Weird how inspiration can come, ay? XD Whereas this chapter was only influenced by my readers. (: And because I do love a bit of VD fan fiction. ^^ Was stuck on a chapter name, but an amazing guy soon helped out with that. :] :L Anyway, I can tell I'm boring you, so… Read away. ;D

Chapter 9: Thrashed One More Time.

SPOV

"Elena's with Damon! Dude, are you serious?" Matt's eyes were blazing already, clearly accusing me of leaving her with him at my own will.

He just didn't understand that forcing Damon to do something that he didn't want to do put each of us into more danger than simply trusting him and letting him do things on his own accord. Damon was dangerous; I knew that as well as any person did, perhaps better. But Damon was not a danger to Elena. And if Matt was to think about it, really think about it, then he'd realise that too. Elena was perhaps the one person that Damon cared for. (Other than himself of course)

I could understand his point of view fully though – I didn't like leaving her with him as much as Matt didn't. I risked a glance at Meredith. She watched me with those strong, seemingly emotionless eyes; Meredith didn't have to voice her views, her disapproval had already made itself known. Again, I let out a heavy sigh before replying to Matt, but looking at Meredith as if she were the one who had spoken to me.

"Matt, believe me. Do you really think I would have allowed him to take her without it being the nessercary option? Because, to be frank, I don't like it anymore than you do, but you can be assured of one thing; Elena is fine," I said, selecting my words very carefully.

Meredith crossed her arms firmly across her chest and Matt's brows furrowed together. I expected Meredith to question me, but yet again, Matt got there first.

"You say you wouldn't have allowed him to take her… Unless it was nessercary?"

I took the statement as a question.

"Yes."

"Why was it nessercary?" Just then, a mixture of worry and angst flickered in his eyes, "Has… Has anything happened to her? Oh, god… No. What's he done! I swear, I'll kill him!" Matt was about to blow a fuse with the sheer fury bubbling within him.

"Matt, no. Noth-"

"Oh, please Matt. Get a grip would you? And let him finish your damn question before…" She looked to me and then paused, as if waiting for a sign. A signal within my eyes. And she must've found it, because she continued, "Assuming the worst. What happened Stefan?"

When I realised Matt was now quiet, I responded.

"After hearing about Caroline, and seeing the crowd, Elena fainted. Damon got to her first, wouldn't let her go and took her home," my eyes measured their reactions; they seemed to have relaxed slightly – especially Matt.

"Hmm. Sounds like Elena," Meredith commented, and I was surprised an eye roll didn't accompany her.

'Sounds like Damon too,' Matt grumbled under his breath.

And there it was, Meredith rolled her eyes. She inhaled before nodding.

"Right, well, I suppose we should figure out what the hell's been killing everyone," this surprised me.

"We?" My brows rose.

Meredith flashed her eyes to Matt, -who nodded- then back to me.

"We're with you Stefan. And I'm sure when Elena decides to quit slacking and wake up she'd all but murder us if we didn't help you," Matt joked. And I expected Meredith to quote another one of her 'Now, Matt, if this really the time to be joking about something like that?'

But she didn't, she surprised me for the second time tonight. She grinned. I sighed.

"It's danger-"

Meredith waved her arms at me, and I frowned.

"This again Stefan, seriously? You know we won't let you do it alone."

I looked from Matt to Meredith, to Matt, then back to Meredith again. Realising I couldn't convince them the smarter solution, I reluctantly nodded. Meredith nodded, all very business-like and grinned again.

"Let's go vampire hunting!"

Matt laughed, and I had to crack a smile.

"Lead the way Stefan!" Meredith added.

And I lead the way. Out of the door, and down the path.

EPOV

I nuzzled the right side of my face into what felt like a big, warm and fluffy pillow; in fact, it was the biggest and most comfy pillow I'd ever rested my head upon. Strange. A gentle breeze ran over my left arm as the hand attached to it grasped the fabric. It pulled what felt like a helping of satin further over my body before dropping back to its original position. Since when had I had satin sheets? And then the smell hit me. The deepest infection of dark roses, rich earth and some other ingredients I couldn't fathom mixed together to form a musky, delicious scent.

Finding the scent was the strongest on the pillow, I pressed my nose into it, inhaling the luxurious odour one last time. And then it hit me, this wasn't the first time this certain scent had flooded my system. I knew this smell. I flinched, really flinched then immediately flashed my eyes open. It was Damon's scent; Damon's cologne blended wonderfully with his own natural odour. My sight was blurry at first, and my eyes confirmed my thoughts. This was Damon's room. And, if this was Damon's room then this… I twisted in the bed, knotting the covers together, revealing a part of my blue dress from the shoulders down to my waist.

I ripped my eyes from a corner of the room to the next, trying over and over again to decide whether this really was what I was seeing. Finally, I looked down at my hands. The satin slipped between my fingers, the smoothness felt amazing. And for a moment, I wondered whether Damon had been in the bed with me. I shook my head fiercely, banishing those strange thoughts from my mind as I tore back the covers and hurled myself to a stand. There was something about this room. It did stupid things to my head.

But, try as I might I still couldn't help but wonder whether he had been there with me… I took a step forward before wincing and recoiling, instantly looking down to what had blocked my path. My brows knitted together as I noticed my black stilettos. I frowned. How in the world had I got to Damon's house, how had my shoes got there and most importantly, why was I in his bed? Why was I asking so many questions? Kicking my shoe out of the way, I crossed Damon's room and stood myself in front of his wardrobe.

I glanced into the mirror fixed into the backboard and grimaced. Ugh, I looked like hell. Hastily, I raked my bony fingers through the thick strands that were my hair and desperately tried to make myself look the slightest bit presentable. I lent in a little further, softly smudging the liner under my bottom lashes so my very obvious panda eyes weren't as obvious. Deciding there was nothing more I could do about my appearance right now I turned and padded quietly out of Damon's room. I raised my arms, stretching them thoroughly before re-adjusting my dress and heading -as soundlessly as I could- down the stairwell.

I was surprised at the loud sighs of the wood beneath me, it didn't usually make this much noise did it? Having said that, the house was normally louder; much louder, actually. Finding myself at the bottom of the stairs, I let myself wander. I mean, come on. When would I ever get this opportunity again? But just as I turned to my right, I heard him.

"Ah, Elena. So glad you could join me on this glorious night. Or should I say morning? Hmm, yes. Morning would be more fitting."

I immediately jolted and faced my left. I half-expected him to be pressed up against me, his face so close that I could taste his breath in my own mouth close. Actually no, not half expected. I would've banked on it. Though, he wasn't. In fact, he was probably the furthest away from me he'd ever been. Okay, this day was just getting stranger and stranger. I didn't have the energy to fold my arms, or even roll my eyes at him, I simply asked him straight.

"Hello Damon," I replied smoothly.

I watched him smirk before speaking again.

"And look, I don't want any of your funny business. I just want you to tell me how the hell I got here and why I'm here."

He didn't waste any time on looking mock-offended. His brows twitched together as he pushed his side a little more against the door frame, keeping his glass firmly in his left hand.

"What do you remember, Elena?" He asked in that perfectly composed voice of his.

Just as I was about to object and demand that he answer me first I did what he asked. I thought about what I did remember. Arriving at the party, kissing Stefan, seeing Damon with Caroline, speaking with Bonnie, finding Damon, speaking with Damon… I winced, thinking my hardest to try and clear the blurriest parts of my mind.

"Elena..?" Damon prompted.

I shook my head.

"I remember the ball, right the way through. Then I remember speaking to you and from then on it's a blur until I woke up. In your bed may I add," I replied, slotting in a little lease of life in the last few words.

I expected Damon to smirk, or at least comment on my last sentence, but he didn't. I had to admit, I was starting to worry about him. His smile had vanished and had been replaced with a completely emotionless expression; and I did not like that one bit. It was a few more seconds before I realised there was more of a silence between us then what was comfortable. I opened my mouth, but snapped it shut when he spoke. Damon shook his head.

"You'll remember soon enough I'm sure of it," and with that, he pulled his side away from the frame and turned away from me. He took a step, and then looked back. "Oh, and you're here because you fainted."

Once again, my mouth opened, only to be forced to a close again at that heartbreaking smile of his.

"You liked the bed then? I had a feeling you were a black satin kind of girl," the smile only widened, making my heart throb and ache, and throb and ache.

I couldn't say anything, what was there to say?

"I, uh, thank you," I mumbled.

The smile was still in tact as he replied immediately.

"Welcome."

And with that he was gone. I must've stood there for goodness knows how long, just staring at the empty space which Damon's missing presence had left. My mind should've been troubled over the fact I'd lost a good chunk of my memory and I should have been using all of my energy to pry images from the corners of it – but I couldn't even concentrate on that. I was troubled with another realisation, but mostly, what the realisation meant to me.

Though Damon's smile had been wide and impossibly beautiful as always, it hadn't touched his eyes. And what frustrated me to an unheard of degree was why it mattered so much; Damon was distressed and because of that, so was I.

And because of that, I'd gone from early morning drowsy to full blown, well… Pissed.

Author's note: The only part of this chapter I was unsure of was the fact whether to do the last part on Damon's POV, or in Elena's. Finally though, I decided on Elena, (as you obviously know) because of Damon's big part last chappie. Well, hope you guys enjoyed it! And ofc, review. (:

Jackie xxx