DPOV

I woke up the next morning, waiting for the pain, but I didn't feel anything. I opened my eyes and looked around. Sunlight was streaming in through a crack in the curtains, birds were singing outside, I could here Stefan and Elena talking in the kitchen. I pulled my shirt up, and there was no wound on my side.

Had it all been just some messed up dream? I heard my door open and looked up.

"You're awake." Katherine said, then flew into my arms. "Oh, thank God you're awake!" I blinked and pushed her back.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Oh, Damon, last night one knew if...and you slept so late today..."

"What time is it?"

"Three in the Afternoon. Stefan! He's wake!" She called.

"Damon?" Stefan asked, appearing in my door frame. He looked like he hadn't slept in awhile.

"It's my room. Who'd you expect to find? Santa Claus?"

"Glad to know you're back." He smiled, but remained standing awkwardly in my doorway. I got up and started walking towards him.

"Damon I don't think you should..." I ignored Katherine's warning and wrapped my arms around Stefan.

"Your eternity isn't up, baby brother, never forget that."

"I love you, too, Damon. Everyone is downstairs..."

"Stefan," Katherine started, "could we have a minute alone?" A sort of realization came into his green eyes and he nodded.

"Take all the time you need." He said, then disappeared.

I turned to face Katherine. She looked different, tired. Her wavy hair was pulled back in loose pony tail, she had no makeup on, and she was in just blue jeans and a tee shirt. She looked beautiful.

"What?" I finally asked.

"Damon, Stefan brought a werewolf here to save you-"

"I know."

"You had to have a vervain/wolfsbane mixture applied to the bite and you had drink a mixture of it combined with Stefan, Elena, Caroline, Bonnie and the wolf's blood."

"And?"

"And the blood of someone who was in love with you." I sighed.

"It was Alaric, wasn't it?" I asked sarcasticly. She smiled and shook her head.

"No, Damon...I..." She took a deep breath, took my hands in hers and met my eye. "I'm in love with you Damon."

I starred at her in disbelief and shock. There was no way that she, the woman of my dreams, loved me back. After a few minutes, she ducked her head.

"Right, well you've had a long week, everybody hanging all over you. You probably want some time alone..."

'Katherine-"

"I brought you some blood. You should probably drink it while it's warm."

"Kat-"

"And I'll go tomorrow-" I grabbed her shoulders and covered her lips with mine. That shut her up.

"Do you ever stop talking?" She shook her head and I kissed her again.

"Well, we'll just have to work on that."

"I like the sound of that." She wrapped her arms around my neck and we kissed again. We had waited way, way too long to do this.

"You know..." I said against her lips. "I could really use a shower, care to join me?" She giggled and I picked her up.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Two hours later we were laying next to each other in my bed, completely worn out. You'd think with vampire stamina we'd still be at it, but we both had so much experience in pleasure that we both knew what we liked, and we weren't exactly going slow.

"I love you." She said, looking into my eyes.

"I love you, too. And the new trick you've learned over the years." She smirked and kissed me.

"Look who's talking." I was about to start us up again when someone banged on the door.

"We're all happy you've made up," Caroline said. "But we want to see him too."

"I'll still be here tomorrow..." I answered, then looked back at Katherine. "Or next week." Caroline groaned in frustration and left.

"You know you have to go see them eventually, right?" Katherine said.

"I see them all the time." I said, twining and untwining our fingers. "I just got you back. The world can wait a while." She smiled.

"Come on, get dressed. We'll play some more later."

"Promise?" She took my hand and kissed each one of my finger tips.

"Absolutely." I sighed and got up.

I dressed in a sort of daze. It was all starting to catch up with me, now that I was alone. How had all of this happened? How had Katherine fallen in love me? The last few days were all a painful blur to me. I'd have to check with her, find out the whole story later. When we were alone.

"Ready?" Katherine asked, coming up behind me.

"Yeah." I said taking her hand. And I was ready.

With her by my side, I was ready for anything.

Caroline wrapped her arms around my shoulder for the millionth time, as I held the door open for her and Tyler.

"I'm so glad you're okay." She said.

"Me, too." I said, holding her close, breathing in her scent. She smelled like roses and the strawberry shampoo she used. "Love you, Care. Good night, Tyler. Tell your mom I'll call her tomorrow about that meeting." He nodded and they left.

"They're cute." Katherine said.

'I don't know. What if he bites her?"

"Then we'll save her." She said, taking my hand and leading me back into the living room. Only Stefan, Elena and Ric were left, and Ric looked like he getting ready to leave.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Damon." He said. We stood there awkwardly for a second and the other averted their eyes. Man hugs usually aren't my thing, but this was Alaric, so just this once I hugged him quickly and we walked to the door.

"Be more careful, okay?" He said. "Do this to me again and I won't help."

"Because you did so much this time."

"I found you when you ran away."

"Thanks, then. Goodnight, man."

"Goodnight. Try to get some sleep."

"Yeah right, have you seen my girlfriend?" I smiled at being able to call her that.

"Bye, Damon." He walked out to his car and was gone. And then there were two.