The song is called Big Machine, by the Goo Goo Dolls. The title of the story is from the song by The Pretty Reckless.

Please note that this story is rated M for sexual content, and potentially dark themes in the future.

I do not own the rights to The Vampire Diaries, or to any of the music within this story.

Still in love with all your sins, where you stop and I begin and I'll be waiting.

Living like a house on fire, what you fear is your desire.

It's hard to deal. I still love the way you feel.

Despite Elena's protests, Damon still spent most nights tailing her. He figured that at some point he would have to deal with something that surprised him. What he hadn't expected was to start following her to Alaric Saltzman's home.

After a few nights spent waiting around outside for her to emerge, his curiosity got the better of him, and he strode up to knock on the door.

Alaric answered his door wearing sweatpants and an old t-shirt, panting and sweating. Damon's eyebrows rocketed up into his hairline as the other man turned and yelled into the house, "You were right Elena, it is Damon."

Elena came to the door, wearing much the same as her teacher, also sweating and carrying a water bottle.

"Damon, you really aren't as stealthy as you think you are," she teased. She told Alaric that they would have to cut it off there, put on her coat and handed Damon her bag, then headed toward her car.

Damon cleared his throat. "What was that?"

"Hey, you're my stalker... You tell me." When Damon said nothing, Elena sighed and leaned against her car, running her hands through her hair. "Mr Saltzman's teaching me how to fight, Damon. At first, I was just really upset when Stefan left. I was angry, and, I don't know, but I needed an outlet. Then, when Katherine attacked Jeremy, I realized that no matter how much time you and Caroline spend making sure I'm safe, you can't be everywhere all the time." She reached out and squeezed Damon's arm. "I need to be able to protect myself."

She reached into her school bag, and pulled out a gun. "Mr Saltzman's already taught me how to use this. It's loaded with wood-tipped bullets. And there's a few vervain darts in my purse, just in case."

Now this angry little girl, drowning in this petty world, and I'm who you run to.

Swallow all your bitter pills. That's what makes you beautiful.

You're all I've got. I don't need what you ain't got.

As the school year continued, and September turned to October, which turned to November, Damon backed off from his active guarding of Elena. One night, when he had been out half-heartedly looking for Katherine, his cell phone rang.

"Elena?" He heard a sob. "Elena, what's wrong?"

Before she could even say anything, he was running back to the boarding house.

"I'm fine Damon, I just... Can I come over?"

"Of course," he had reached his car by now, "I'll come and get you."

She had been sitting in a playground, swaying softly on the swing set. Damon blurred to her side, and took the swing next to her.

"I feel so stupid for doing this to you Damon."

He reached over and rubbed her back, feeling a little out of his element as he did so. "What happened? Was it the boy? Do I have to rip something off of him?"

She laughed bitterly. "No... It was me. I broke up with him." She looked at him with big eyes. "I know it sounds like a stupid reason to call you but... I... I had to do it, for his own good." She stopped to take a deep breath. "How many teenage girls have to do that? But I realized that, with everything that I'm part of now, with Katherine, and the fact that I carry around a vampire killing kit with me everywhere... What kind of relationship would that be?"

All that Damon could do was nod at her while she finished her thought.

"I mean, what's going to happen to me. I can't date normal boys because I know too much, and I can't date... anyone else, because I'm too human. Is this going to be my life?"

I'm torn in pieces.

I'm blind and waiting for...

My heart is reeling.

I'm blind and waiting for you.

Elena's revelation had sent Damon reeling, as he thought over it later that night. It was a concept that he had desperately wanted her to grasp when Stefan had been around. But now, he was profoundly uncomfortable knowing that this was a lesson that she'd had to learn.