Hi! It's been a while...I hope you're still interested in this story as I'm back and completely razzed about the next couple of chapters. This week's episode was so explosive, it's hard not to be motivated. :D

Thanks for the reviews and favorites, they are always nice...You guys ROCK! I especially like to thank IkeaGoddess for that great snippet (you'll know what I mean).

Well enough of my clatter...on with it already!

BTW - Since it's been a while since my last update I added a recap, hope you don't mind.


Previously:

Damon knew he had seen what they had done, he smirked as he saw the door shut quietly. He didn't mind an audience and if he dared to stay, he thought he might as well give him a show.

Jeremy heard noises coming from Elena's room, he thought she was arguing with someone and wanted to check on her.

His eyes widened, his mouth fell open. He gasped, there was Damon Salvatore his sister's boyfriend having primal sex with her. The scene was quite disturbing and if he had a right mind he would have stopped it but he knew Elena would be mortified and quite more embarrassed than him.

Jeremy didn't bother to turn around, "I thought you two were fighting." "No, we hadn't been arguing." Damon said tightly. "We'd been making love. There was a pause. "Enjoyed the show?" Jeremy's throat was dry, he couldn't speak. "Next time knock, ass monkey." Damon rolled his eyes as his devilish smirk flitted across his face, he turned on his heels leaving the dumbfounded teenager to ponder.

When he slid back into bed Elena curled up to him, placing her head in the crook of his arm. She moaned his name. He kissed her cheek and whispered, "Sleep well, princess. Breakfast with the fam should be interesting."


When she first opened her eyes, Elena stretched turning on her side expecting him to be there but when she felt the cold sheets she knew he had been gone for quite some time.

She noticed a note on the pillow.

Good morning, sleepy head. Thought it would be proper for Jenna not to catch us. I'll see you soon for breakfast. Damon

She glanced over at the wall where Damon punched a hole. As promised, he patched it and added a fresh coat of paint. No one would be the wiser. She smirked, how could he manage to do all that and not wake her she wondered.

Elena let the shower beat down on her head. Her body felt sore, weary and wonderful. Her eyes closed, she hummed and soaped her skin. The shampoos smelled like Damon, she thought and caught herself grinning foolishly. God, what a night.

She should have been exhausted, but she was too giddy to be tired. She knew she was grinning like a fool but frankly she just didn't care. Life was good.

The door bell rang, she knew it could only be one person. She barreled down the stairs, "I got it Jenna."

Jenna was in the kitchen attempting to make a resemblance of edible food, shooting her hand in the air acknowledging Elena. Jenna cursed the disaster that should have been southwest omelets.

When Elena opened the door Damon had a huge devilish smile on his face with a white box in hand.

"Well hello, beautiful." Hi," she gave him a blushing smile looking down at the object in his hands.

"What's this?" "Oh, when you said Jenna was going to cook breakfast I thought I'd stop by the bakery and pick up danishes and whatnot." Elena giggled slightly.

"Smart move," Jeremy said as he darted down the stairs. Not looking at either one of them. In one swift movement he swung his body swiftly around the railing heading for the kitchen.

"I heard that," Jenna yelled out. "Good, you were supposed to." Sticking his head in the fridge.

"You know Jeremy, there's this thing called respect your elders." "Yeah well, Aunt Jenna. I'm sorry but you're no Betty Rocker." "And nor do I claim to be."

Damon and Elena walk into the kitchen, "Oh goodie! A family squabble," he said sarcastically.

Displaying his self-serving smirk. "Now that we have that settled, I'm sure you'll be pleased with the selection I brought."

As everyone scooted around the kitchen pretending to ignore the white elephant in the room. Elena leaned over to whisper to Damon. "Jeremy's been acting weird all morning." Damon rolled his eyes.

"No, I mean more than usual." She explained. "Why, did he say anything?"

Feeling as if she was left out of the loop, she eyed him suspiciously, "No, what do you know?" "Never mind." he said as he walked away, making his escape. A close one he thought.

Elena thought everyone was acting completely strange as if she stepped into the Twilight Zone. She dismissed it, she wouldn't allow everyone's odd behavior ruin her mood.

"Oh Damon, can I speak to you for a second?" "Yeah sure, Jenna. What's up? You're not seriously mad at me for bringing breakfast are you?" She laughed. "Of course not, I'm actually grateful and as you can see I'm not the only one."

She motioned for them to move in the hallway for privacy. Damon thought what could he have done now to cause this but as his mind raced to find the answer she quickly interrupted his thoughts.

"We're both adults here." Damon didn't answer allowing her to get to her point not knowing where this was going he leaned his head down to concentrate as she spoke softly.

"You didn't have to pretend like you just came over." "What do you mean?" "I know you stayed last night."

He stammered, "No, I stayed late but...I." Jenna inhaled deeply putting her hands on her hip offering her Emmy-winning stern face, "Listen I'm not an idiot. Besides it didn't sound like it," she hesitated for a moment, "Light sleeper." She said with a smirk, tapping her ear with a finger.

If Damon could blush he would instead he knew he was in no position to argue the point. His only option would be to compel her and he'd rather face this head on than to deal with the wrath of Elena if she found out. Conceding he nodded in agreement.

"So let's remember that next time and of course there's Jeremy to consider." "Yes, thanks Jenna." Satisfied with what appeared to be a fear stricken Damon she sneered at him patting him on the chest as hard as she could, "No problem."

"Ok, let's eat! Anyone hungry? I'm famished." Announcing her return.

Elena approached Damon, "What was that all about? You two having a private conversation is unnatural." "So is her hearing us last night." Damon offered. Elena gasped putting her hands over her mouth, eyes wide with a mixture of dread and fear.

"Relax she's ok with it." "Ok? My aunt heard us." "It's not my fault you can't control yourself," he teased making a poor attempt to diffuse the situation.

She rolled her eyes and smacked him hard on the arm. "Ow! Was that really necessary?"

"Oh my God! Is that why Jr has been acting weird too?" He smirked, "Come on princess," grabbing her arm leading her to the table, "Let's have breakfast." He was enjoying this more than he probably should be.

During breakfast Damon received a text from Alaric telling him to meet at the boarding house by noon. Bonnie and him had a plan or at least needed to discuss how they were going to deal with Mason.


To no avail Damon could not convince Elena to stay home. Of course, being Elena she refused to be left out. She insisted on going with him although he reassured her he wouldn't do anything rash or nothing at all without letting her know.

On their way to his home, she felt his tension. "We're in this together, Damon. Remember?"

He looked over at her, giving her a quick smile rubbing the back of his hand against her soft cheek. He knew deep within his core he didn't deserve her, no matter what he did as penance to make up for all the destruction he had done...he didn't deserve such a gift.

They rode the rest of the way in silence each reveling in their own solitude. They finally reached the boarding house. Damon got out to open Elena's door.

Suddenly...

His reflexes were quick. He had her under him in a move swift enough to knock her breathless. Though neither of them realized it, he'd made one of the few purely unselfish gestures in his damned life. He shielded her body with his without a second thought to his own safety.

"Damn it!" His aim was off and he only allowed for one shot. He knew his intentional target was really Damon but he knew if he used her then it would make his target a lot easier. He just hoped it was the kill shot he was anticipating.

Mason approached them. Elena struggled as Damon's full weight hindered her. He had a makeshift stake sticking out of his chest.

"Vervain," Damon managed to say before passing out.

"Nothing personal. I'm not going to harm you but this is the only way." Mason tried to explain unsuccessful at not startling Elena.

Tying him with vervain soaked ropes, he grabbed Damon throwing him in the back of his truck.

Finally free, Elena tried to fight off Mason. "Whoa! You're pretty feisty. Trust me this is for the best." "Let me go, damn it!" She yelled as loud as she could, kicking and screaming as he began to tie her hands and gag her.

"I really didn't want it to come to this but he left me no choice."


Alaric and Bonnie reached the mansion on time, as they pulled into the drive they noticed the passenger door to Damon's car was open. The atmosphere filled the air with a sense of oddity.

Walking up to the car they saw a bow and Elena's cell phone lying on the ground. Panic stricken, Alaric tried calling Damon. Just then Damon's voice sounded on the other end of the line, snapping him of his mental conversation with himself. "Damon?" I'm not available. So leave a message...or don't.

"There's no answer, voice mail." "Oh God. What could have happened? You don't think we're too late, do you?" Bonnie asked. Alaric couldn't answer with words he just looked at her with concern. Both knowing clearly what happened.

"We've got to do something." She revealed. Alaric handed her the items, "Can you figure out where they are?" "It doesn't work that way." "Try!" He yelled not realizing the strain in his voice or the panic that overwhelmed him. Get it together, Ric. He told himself. "I'm sorry." Bonnie nodded.


As Damon came to, Mason was attempting to calm Elena reasoning with her. "You don't understand, he's a killer. This is for the best. I'm only doing this for your own good." If she wasn't gagged she had a right mind to spit in his face.

"Get your hands off of her. Lay one finger to harm her so help me the big guy himself will have to reach down and snatch you from earth to save your sorry ass. I will rip your heart out right where you stand and crush it before you have a chance to blink." Damon seethed. Struggling to break free.

Mason laughed, "You're in no position to threaten me or anyone."

Damon wanted to provoke him, keep his attention away from Elena.

"See, now I know you're not as smart as you think you are, if you think that's a threat. I'm simply stating a fact. I am a very patient man, one can afford to be when one is immortal. But my patience is not without limits."

Mason walked up to Damon kicking him furiously over and over.

Elena squeezed her eyes shut, gasping through her gag, struggling to not hear Damon moaning in pain. It was too much to bear.

Bruised and battered, before he could move another kick flipped him backward. He grunted and another blow spun him in midair, blood splattering from his mouth.

His world became a blurry haze. All he could think about was her. Well, almost all he could think of. There was the other matter of a few broken ribs, lacerations, assorted contusions and possibly some internal bleeding.

"Sorry to break it to you but while you were busy sexing your girlfriend you failed to remember tonight is a full moon. You're running out of time, hotshot."

I'll give you two one last moment, he removed Elena's gag. She gave him a seething look just before she spat in his face. Mason sneered at her as he wiped his face, "Again, this isn't personal," he turned walking away.

He was bleeding, broken, his mouth open as if he were about to speak. Elena was blinking back tears, she pleaded and begged but he only stared at her. She began to cry hard, afraid she wasn't dreaming. Yet everything was shifting in and out of focus as he lay there broken.

"Elena, you must find a way out of here." No, I won't leave you. You just need blood, I can help." "No, I won't allow you to be part of this. I can't chance it." He exhaled, wincing from the pain. "Can you move? I think I have enough strength to help untie the ropes."

She managed to scoot herself closer allowing room for Damon to loosen the ropes. Once she was free she pulled the stake that remained in Damon's chest. "Damon, just bite my wrist. We'll both get out of here." "No!," he raising his voice above a whisper. "We won't have enough time. Just run and get help. Find Alaric he'll know what to do." "Damon, this is ridiculous." Frustrated and running out of time he snapped at her. "Didn't our talk last night help you understand anything?" She glared up at him, she made a noise of frustration. Mistaking his appalled expression for a reaction to her stubbornness.

Resolved she leaned down kissing him hard on the lips, "I'll come back for you, I promise. Just hold on."

Even with the full moon drawing closer, in the past, he'd just gotten more aggressive, more aware, more willing to fight. The full moon nearing in a matter of a short few hours, it wasn't unusual for him to start feeling its effects, but this wasn't the usual result.

Elena took off running as fast as she can, not realizing where she was, she just kept running. Mason sensed her, smelled her fear in the air...he raced after her. He knew she wouldn't get far, she couldn't outrun him nor have the ability to see in the dark as he could.

"Elena." The voice reached out to her, although she couldn't see him, she recognized the deep voice. She looked around. She couldn't see anything as it began to get dark. She realized she was standing in the middle of the woods. The forest was dark and overgrown. She stayed on the path slicing through the tangle of limbs and underbrush, but searched the woods for any clearing that may look familiar.

"Elena." The voice was closer now. Elena's skin bristled, and a chill stole away any vestiges of warmth that had enfolded her.

"Elena." The voice was right behind her, the deep tone becoming guttural, eerie, distorted. She suddenly grew apprehensive, as she whipped around trying to locate him.

"Elena." This time her name was drawn out, singsong, threatening. Her skin grew cold, her heart pounded.

She started to run, racing through the woods, tangles of weeds pulling out in front of her like long arms and hands grabbing at her.

"Elena!" A broken whimper escaped her throat as she tried not to worry about the voice behind her. Just keep running. Just stay on your feet. But even as she chanted those thoughts over and over in her head, her foot caught on a bared root, sending her tumbling. When she finally stopped, the cold earth was at her back.


Sorry! Not normally how I end most of my chapters but it's gotta end some where. Don't worry I think I have my muse back and will update soon.

Please let me know your thoughts...I'd really like to hear your comments, and/or suggestions.

Thanks for reading and I hoped you enjoyed it! xoxo!