Heyyyy!

Can someone please tell me how to go about looking for a beta? I read the whole thing but somehow it didn't make a lot of sense then.

Also tell me if you want the chapters to be longer

Much Love

Damon's POV

We had just started dating when Elena said she wanted to have a pet. We bought that little golden fish together. Little did we know that Mr. Zazzles would hate and I'm not exaggerating at all, he hated, despised that little thing. He had tried to eat it quite a few times before Elena losing all her patience and hit him on the head, the only time that she's ever done anything like that. Zazzy never tried anything after that. I think animals are smarter than we'd like to believe. Zazzy sure was upset with Elena for a few hours, but when she put down his favorite food for dinner, he mewled sweetly, licked her legs and ate his dinner quietly. Elena was devastated when Goldilocks (a name I suggested) died. She even had a proper funeral and everything for her. Everyone had to come and she said her words, I said something witty and Jeremy begrudgingly said some nice lines he had written, Elena cried when Jeremy said them. The little brat told me later that he's originally written them for his first girlfriend, I told him not to tell Elena that.

I was sitting in the parking waiting for Jeremy and Elena to come. To say that I was worried would have been an understatement. From whatever I had heard from Jeremy about Lena's condition I knew that it wasn't okay. Whatever was happening to her wasn't a good thing at all. I just had to see her for myself. I missed her. Ever since getting my memory back, I hadn't seen her or held her and I was dying inside. Every moment that I had to spend away from her was killing me. What was killing me more was that I couldn't even do anything about it. I had spoken to the agency and explained that I could join back sooner, just so that I would have something to do, something to occupy my mind with and not obsess over Elena but that was in vain.

The moment I entered the office area, every corner reminded me of her, every memory we'd made inside those walls came rushing back to me especially my particular favorite

when somehow we were the only ones who stayed back because of an important campaign that we both were working on because the copywriter on my team had gone on a maternity leave, and the lights went out. I was particularly antsy about the campaign because my boss, the big daddy of my firm had promised me a huge promotion if I landed that ad and also because keeping back a guy from planning because of a creative person was just not acceptable. Yes, I used to be a cocky bastard then, who was ready to give it off to the little brunette who was currently working on the advert. I was pissed at whoever's fault it was that a campaign that I was handling was being done at the last minute, something that I never let happen. She informed me of the problems she had faced that day, her brother was in the hospital because of a negative reaction that he had with some drug and she had been with him there, plus it wasn't her job but she was doing it only because… well, Elena is THAT brilliant and kind and helpful and sweet. Anyway.

I didn't acknowledge the reasons she gave me then and went back to my desk, hoping to finish some of the subsequent paper work. Irritated with the waiting, I was just about to get up to check what she had been up to when the lights went out and I heard her scream and then subsequent ' I'm okays'. Dulling down with every chant... I thought it must have been a reflex and thankfully I had enough battery left on my laptop, so I resumed working. Five minutes or so, I heard a loud noise like something had fallen, I thought she must've dropped something so I dialed the building manager. He didn't reply and it had been some time since I had heard from Elena. I would have killed her if she was sleeping, I was THAT pissed. I somehow found my way over to her desk but didn't see her there. Damn woman, what are you doing! We need to get serious work done. I picked up my phone and called her number, hoping she had her phone with her wherever the hell she was.

One ring, two rings, three rings. It's on silent. Shit!

I called again, looked at all the other desks in exasperation. I saw some sort of light near the coffee stand. I started walking towards the light and found Elena passed out on the floor with her phone on the floor vibrating because of my ongoing call. Being the eternal stud, the lack of light and Elena's stubbornness at not getting up, I carried outside to my car to take her to the ER and get her checked. Driving over the closest hospital, I couldn't help sneaking glances at the beautiful girl in the backseat. Her long brown hair were falling over her head and her hands hanging limply on the sides, her legs wrapped under by jacket that I had put over her in case she should feel cold. Her face was peaceful, calm like she didn't have to worry about her brother or her parents or her friends, nothing at all. She was content. I was almost at the destination when I heard her whimpers. She was up now, and she wanted me stop the car. I did as she wanted and opened the door to her seat.

"Elena" I said.

"Don't die. Please. It's too dark. I can't breathe." She sobbed.

I melted at how pained she sounded. I wanted to make everything okay for her; I wanted to give her everything she wanted.

I held her, holding her shoulders and hugged her tight. She was still sobbing and I was whispering sweet nothings to soothe her in her ear. When she finally calmed down a little, she pulled away a little and looked at me, pain leaving almost completely and guilt and embarrassment replacing it on her face.

"It's okay. Don't apologize. I'll ask for an extension, nothing to worry about."

"Thank you. For tonight."

She was still avoiding my gaze, like she wouldn't be able to keep it all together if I saw her eyes, and hence her soul. She would have gone forever without letting all this pain out if I hadn't helped her. Oh this poor girl, I felt genuinely sad for her. She was being brave, protecting her heart, something I had mastered in. So I knew exactly what she doing, but the look on her face, the slight twitching of the corners of her mouth and the wet lashes above her beautiful brown eyes, the soft wheezes I could hear through her breaths, the shaking of her hands, I wanted to be there for her, I wanted to know and then make it all okay.

"It's okay Elena. Let it all out. Do you want me to take you somewhere, anyplace where you'll feel better?" I suggested.

She looked up at me at this. Surprised by how softly I had spoken the last line. Shit Damon, that's the nicest thing you've said to her all day. Shame on you.

"If we could just go back to the office, I just need to pick up my stuff and if it's okay with you, head home? You've done so much already, thank you, really. But I just want to go home."

"Okay. But are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah yeah, let me just get out and stretch a little." She started moving out as she said this, but as soon as her feet hit the ground, her knees gave way and she almost fell before I reached out and steadied her against my body. She sat on the edge of the car seat and rolled up her jeans, there was a little reddening on her ankle with slight swelling.

"Oh shit. I must've hurt my foot when I went to look for extra torches to the coffee counter." She said, assessing her injuries. So that's what she was doing there! God Damon, you should really stop jumping to conclusions. I got her settled back in, and drove back to the office. The drive to the office was a quick one, she had fallen asleep on the backseat probably from the pain, so I ran upstairs got all our stuff put in the trunk and woke her up. She was startled but in a very cute way.

"Oh. We're here already. "

"Yeah, I ran inside and got all our stuff, now next stop is your place."

"I can take it from here. Let me just call a cab, I don't want to be any more trouble for you."

"Elena. Stop. You're faaaar from trouble. Let me help you. Let someone help you for once."

She quieted down after that. And said a soft okay.

"I'll just shift to the front; you're not like my driver."

She tried getting out again and nearly fell, taking support of the door. So, I jumped in and picked her up placed her on the seat next to the driver's seat, shut the door, got in on my side, started the car and said, "Just tell me where, Elena?"

She seemed flushed. Her face went a little red around her cheeks and her bottom lip came out in a pout. So adorable!

"Just drive, I'll tell you where to turn." And she very cutely, if I may add, folded her arms over chest very defensively.

It was twenty minutes of stolen looks, pouts from her sides, smirks on my face and random songs playing on the radio when we finally reached her place.

I stopped outside her place, got out of the car and went over to her side. She was having some trouble with the seat belt so I bent over her and got her free. In that fleeting moment of or bodies somewhat touching, my heartbeat spiked over to bordering on a heart attack. I could feel it about to literally jump out of my chest cavity.

I picked her up again and this time she audibly huffed, she fished out the keys from her back and opened the door while still in my arm.

"Where do you want me to..umm..?" I said. And she pointed towards the stairs.

There were two rooms upstairs, one with a nice flowery…mural thing on the door and one with all sorts of skulls and demons on it. I figured hers must be the former so I opened it, set her down on the bed and put her things on the little table in the corner. I ran down to the kitchen, found some pain reliever and got some water and gave it to her.

I was about to leave when I heard a quiet "Do you want to stay?" I was surprised. She was awfully trusting of a man that she just happened to work with.

"Do you want me to stay?" I asked back, unsure of her question. I didn't want her to feel obligated or whatever about letting me stay, just because I had helped her out earlier in the day.

"Yeah, I mean it's really late and Jeremy's not home tonight. And after the lights going off thing at the office I really.. " she gulped, scared obviously, "Really don't want to stay alone. If you want to…" She was babbling. Was there anything about this woman that wasn't adorable?!

"Fine, I'll stay. "

She released a happy breath, relieved that someone was going to stay with her for the night.

"Umm... there are extra sheets in the cabinet over there, help yourself; since I really can't move right now."

"It's okay. You go to sleep. Try and relax a little. I'll manage. Actually I don't sleep this early, I'm just going to be downstairs, holler if you need me, okay?"

"Okay." And she gave me this look full of trust and sincere appreciation. I wanted to do more things to warrant that look, to make her proud, to have her trust me, to have her feel loved when I take care of her.

I was working on some product campaigns and didn't realize how much time had passed but it was a couple of hours later when I heard a scream from upstairs. I ran back up and saw Elena crying in her sleep. I went to her and she clutched me to him.

"Shhh. It's okay Elena. I'm here."

I had heard in and around the office that Elena had had a rough life and whatever she had achieved was on her own. I hadn't put much thought to it but now I guess I saw how damaged she was. One night and one bad experience with darkness and she was a shivering mess in my arms.

"Please don't die. It's so dark in here. Please."

"Hey, hey, listen to me. I'm not going anywhere."

"Okay. I believe you."

I moved the covers and got under them with Elena holding on to my chest like it was her lifeline. Not having had a moment to myself when she screamed I had forgotten that currently I was shirtless. Huh. This was going to be a fun conversation in the morning.

She softened down to almost inaudible whimpers as I stroked her hair. She had great hair. Really. But what I really noticed was how quickly my touch soothed her, how deeply I understood her and how similar yet different we were. In that moment I knew that Elena was going to be a big part of who I would in the future. In that moment, I saw soothing her, being there for her, caring for her, loving her for the rest of my life. Of course we may fight along the way, but our love would conquer everything else. I knew that…

I broke out of my flashback and noticed Jer leading Lena into the café. I shut off the engine to my car and counted till twenty for Elena to get settled into the café and not suspect anything. Then I casually strolled into the tiny little place and as I moved over to Elena's table I could hear her saying something about always wanting a pet. Jeremy looked a little sad, honestly that guy needed to work on his acting skills to at least try and not look sad and sympathetic. Elena always told me that the worst thing that people can give you is their sympathy and their pity. That's why she never told people about what exactly happened in her childhood because she didn't want people looking at her like she was helpless or something. This amnesia and the looks people had been giving her had to be killing her, I knew that. I just couldn't do anything about it.

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