Disclaimer: L.J. Smith created these characters and the CW created this universe. I just play in it.

Author's note: Sorry this took so long, folks. Real life intervenes and leaves little time for obsessive writing about our favorite show! However, I hope this chapter... satisfies. ;)

Chapter 14

Dear Diary,

I'm sorry I've neglected you for so long. There's been so much going on that I wouldn't know where to start. But I do know that I can only turn to you. Bonnie's out of town - her grandmother died. It's so sad, really. I can't say I knew her grandmother that well, but my heart hurts for Bonnie. I know what it's like to lose someone you love. But now, diary, you are the only place I can work out my feelings. Bonnie was the only person who knew all - well, most - of my secrets, and without her I have no one else to talk to about what's going on. Stefan's fine; a little too fine, if you ask me. He's been acting like he wants to ask me something for the longest time, but he's never mentioned what's on his mind and I'm sure not going to probe. I wonder if he knows about Damon… Poor Damon. I know it sounds ridiculous to feel sorry for a vampire, even more ridiculous to feel sorry for a vampire who has killed without a second thought. But he lost someone he loves too. I haven't seen him since we opened the tomb. Whenever I'm brave enough to ask, casually as possible, Stefan just says he's fine and moves on to the next topic. But I'm not sure I believe him. I think I might go check on Damon, maybe skip one of my afternoon classes. Of course, it can't be a class I share with Stefan. Or with Caroline. Or with Matt. Any one of them would instantly know something's up and I don't want anyone asking questions. In fact, I-

"Elena?"

She jumped at the knock on her bedroom door, slamming her diary shut and shoving it into its usual hiding place. "Come in, Jer."

Jeremy cracked the door open. "Are you ready for school?"

"Yeah," she said, tucking her hair behind her ears and grabbing her backpack. "Let's go."

Damon felt pretty damn sorry for himself. Katherine clearly didn't give a shit about him, and Elena was back fawning all over his do-gooder brother. It was sickening. He confessed that he didn't know what to do with his days now. Before, the plan was easy. Find his way back into the tomb, release Katherine, she would be grateful that her lover had come to her rescue, and they would ride off into the sunset. Meanwhile he busied himself with Elena until his plan came to fruition. She proved to be quite the compelling distraction, one that almost made him forget why he came back to Mystic Falls. He took a moment to consider Elena. She was hard to figure out. On the one hand, she responded to his every touch, his every look as if there was nowhere else she'd rather be than naked and writhing in his arms. On the other hand, she was all righteous and loyal to his pathetic little brother, playing the role of the doting girlfriend for all the world to see. Who knew what was really going on inside her mind. He did have to admit that she still managed to intrigue him, quite a feat given his short attention span when it came to women. After living as long as he did, he didn't have the patience to sit through any whiny little dramas that women often concocted. He poured his first drink of the day and decided that he was done investing any significant time or energy into any woman. He would simply stick to brainless sorority girls from now on.

"Good morning, Damon," Stefan said, jogging down the stairs.

"Stefan," Damon toasted in his direction.

Stefan learned about a week into Damon's alcoholic haze that it was best not to push him. Still, he couldn't help himself. "I'm going to school now - what are you going to do today?"

"Same thing I do every day, Pinky. Try to take over the world," he quipped. Stefan didn't look amused. "Oh, lighten up, little brother. I still have several bottles of scotch to get through before I have to venture outside this godforsaken house. I won't be bothering any of your precious townies today."

"Ok… well… as you were," Stefan said wryly.

Damon didn't verbalize a reply. He merely raised his glass to Stefan and wandered out of the room. Stefan shook his head. How long was he going to keep this up? And even more worrisome, what was he going to do once he got out of this funk? At least before, he had some idea of Damon's plan and how to stop him. Now he didn't know what to expect next…

Elena rehearsed different opening lines. She didn't know what was waiting for her on the other side of the door. She nervously looked around, irrationally afraid that one of her teachers or friends would catch her ditching. But no one was there. She took a deep breath and tucked her hair behind her ears before ringing the doorbell. She tried not to let the surprise show on her face when Damon answered it - looking like hell.

"And to what do I owe this pleasure?" Damon slurred.

"I - I just wanted to make sure you were ok. You know, after… everything."

Damon didn't answer her. He turned and walked into the living room. Elena furrowed her brow but followed his silent invite. She shut the door behind herself and dropped all her stuff on the couch. "So… how are you?"

"Peachy keen," Damon said sarcastically.

Elena sized him up. His hair was a mess and he was barefoot, clad only in a pair of pajama pants. Apparently that's all he could be bothered to wear. "Not to be rude, but you look awful."

"Yeah, well, I feel awful, so that sounds about right."

"I'm sorry," she said. She stuffed her hands in her pockets. What was she thinking, coming over here? She never considered what to talk about after basic inquiries as to his health. This was all kinds of awkward. She was worried she was reminding him of Katherine simply by being there, but she couldn't think of a polite way to excuse herself. They stood there in silence, Damon calmly sipping from his glass every so often and staring out the window, Elena across the room trying not to fidget. She was about to bolt when he finally spoke.

"You know," Damon said, taking a long sip, "things don't always turn out like you want them to. For example," he said, stumbling a bit as he wandered the room, "I thought that Katherine was waiting for me in the tomb. What a sucker I am, huh? Thinking it was our fault she was locked in there in the first place… only to find out that the little bitch has been free this whole time." He checked the bottle, finding it empty and tossing it aside. "And then there's you," he said, pointing his glass in Elena's direction.

"Me? What about me?"

"You're just like all the other girls. Slumming it with the sexy vamp then going back to the boring boyfriend. It would be funny if it weren't so cliché."

Elena flinched. "I don't know what other girls you're referring to, but I'm not like them. I care, Damon."

He scoffed. "Sure you do, sweetheart. You keep telling yourself that. You forget that I'm older and wiser and you're just sixteen going on seventeen. Well - more like going on thirty. Never have I met a girl so eager to live a boring life."

Elena tried not to show her anger. "You know what? If picking on me makes you feel better, then go ahead. I can take it because I know the truth."

"Oh I'm not picking on you, Elena. Merely stating the facts. What's your truth?"

She thought carefully before speaking. "You're hurt. Katherine hurt you deeply so you want to lash out at her or anyone who happens to be nearby. You just lucked out because I look exactly like her. So go ahead. Tell your replacement Katherine exactly how you feel."

"Dammit, Elena!" Damon said, throwing his glass aside, not caring that it shattered in the process. "You're not a replacement for her! When are you going to get that through your thick fucking skull?"

She shrunk back. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have provoked you. That wasn't fair. I'm really sorry."

Damon shook his head, running one hand through his hair. "I'm not going to…" he sighed, sinking into the couch. "Don't worry about it." He looked slightly chagrined at his outburst, closing his eyes and rubbing them.

Elena tentatively sat down next to him, examining his face. "I - I don't know much about these things, but you look terribly pale. When was the last time…" she swallowed, "that you fed?"

Damon opened one eye and turned to her. "It's been awhile. A little too long, in fact."

Elena bit her lip and looked down into her lap. "Um, this might sound weird, but… if it would make you feel better… did you want to… um…" she turned red at her bold suggestion, noting that he slightly perked up with interest.

"Did I want to what, Elena?"

She couldn't say it out loud, instead peeling off her turtleneck and smoothing down her cami underneath. She pulled her hair to one side to reveal her neck to him. She watched as his eyes instinctively dilated.

"Are you sure?" he said, suddenly very hungry.

She nodded.

"Why?" he asked.

She blushed. "Because I don't know what else to do and it seemed like a good idea at the time. If it's not, I can just-"

"No," he interrupted her. "That's… an intriguing offer. If you're sure…"

"I'm sure," she said, more confident this time.

He nodded and surprised her by grabbing her and swinging a leg over his lap so she was straddling him on the couch. He moved so fast, she didn't know how she lost her shoes in the process, but there they were, three feet away on the floor. She braced herself by holding on to the back of the couch, suddenly painfully aware that a thin layer of cloth separated her torso from his bare chest. She saw a hint of a smirk appear on his face, and she was too relieved at a glimpse of the old Damon returning that she wasn't even irritated by it. Who cared if he could sense her arousal; at least maybe he was returning to normal again. She held her breath as he took his time gathering her hair and draping it over one shoulder, running a finger down her neck. She shivered and knew that her nipples were standing at attention and due to her thin camisole with a pitiful excuse for a built-in bra, he could probably feel it. She stopped thinking at all as his arms moved to her back, pulling her closer to press against him in the most intimate of places. It barely registered that he slid her cami strap off one shoulder as his lips met her neck. Her hands involuntarily slid down from the back of the couch to grip his shoulders, her face dropping into his hair and neck. She gasped at the pinprick of his teeth and sank into a delirious haze of pleasure as he began to feed. She had almost forgotten what it felt like. She slid her hands down his chest, running over his pecs before sliding back up to tangle in his hair. She felt a growl rumble through him as she dipped her head into the hollow of his neck, inadvertently pressing her lips to it, breathing heavily. Her hands moved to grip his shoulderblades, nails digging into his skin. She began to feel a bit lightheaded and her grip loosened. Damon noticed and retracted his teeth, licking her neck clean. Elena moaned as he licked her neck, a completely different pleasurable sensation. He pulled back and took in the sight of her. Her eyes were closed, hair tossed to one side, cheeks flushed and mouth slightly open from moaning. He wasted no time in anything as exhaustive as thinking. He grabbed her head and pulled her into a searing kiss. Elena sank into his kiss, still riding the high from offering up her blood. She met his lips hungrily, noting with interest that traces of her blood were still on his lips, though they soon disappeared into a taste that was all Damon. She also acted on instinct when he stood up, automatically wrapping her legs around his waist in order to keep from breaking the kiss as he propelled them to his bedroom.

She felt her back hit something soft and realized that it was Damon's bed. She was still gasping for breath when she realized he had deftly removed her clothes and rid himself of the lazy pajama pants. Reality hit her and she started to panic. What was she doing? How did she let herself get to this place? How could she do this to - ohhhhhhh. All thoughts stopped when Damon spread her legs and entered her within seconds. She cried out in pleasure, not alarm, and felt slightly guilty that she didn't lift one finger to stop him. Quite the opposite. She found her hips moving of their own will to meet his thrusts, her arms wrapping around his back, holding him close. Damon hissed as she clenched her inner walls around him during each thrust, making her passage tighter. He attacked her lips and she immediately opened her mouth to him, her tongue yearning to taste him once more. She moaned into his mouth as he slid one hand between them to trace tiny circles on her clit. Maybe it was because it had been a while, or maybe it was because having your blood sucked did strange things to your libido, but she came immediately. Never had it taken so little to push her over the edge. And it was clear that Damon was nowhere near finished with her yet. He continued to pound into her as she shook from her orgasm, finally removing his hand and pulling completely out of her, flipping her onto her stomach and pulling her hips up until she was on all fours. He eased back inside her and began thrusting once more, hitting a new angle and making her cry out with each movement of his hips. She couldn't see the feral smile of satisfaction on his face as she cried out his name. She gripped the headboard and emitted completely new noises as he drove into her, hitting that magic spot each time. His hands moved to fondle her breasts, pinching and massaging her nipples. One hand slid to one of her shoulders, making his thrusts more forceful.

Elena's world was a haze of colors and sensations. There was no denying her insane pull toward Damon. She wished that she could blame it on compulsion, but she knew it was 100% real. It was like her body knew his and was welcoming it home. He fit so perfectly in all the right places and knew exactly how to drive her crazy. She marveled at the fact that when they were in bed - or, wherever they were when sexual impulses took over - all his snarkiness disappeared. The sarcastic façade faded and they were just Damon and Elena. And some seriously pornographic sex. She gasped as he drove deep into her and blessed whoever made this huge four-poster bed so sturdy. She whined when he pulled out of her, only to be relieved when he slid underneath her, slamming her down onto his cock. He wanted to see her when she came. Elena shook her head with a wry smile but quickly lost it as her body moved on its own without any conscious brainpower telling her to move up and down. She held onto his shoulders as she rode him hard, experimentally rotating her hips. Damon rewarded her with a groan as his lips went to her breast, swirling his tongue around her nipple. Elena whimpered, softly crying out his name as he continued to awake new sensations within her. She hissed when he marked her breast with a little love bite, surprised that the move turned her on. Pain was never her thing before, but maybe it was a vampire thing. The act of biting had become an aphrodisiac. She noted that Damon's hands were now on her hips, guiding her movement faster. He must be near the edge. She opened her eyes to find him staring intently at her. The intensity of his gaze and the friction their bodies created sent her into another orgasm. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her down hard, allowing himself to come with her. Elena didn't break eye contact, breathing heavily as she felt him fill her with his cum, the sweat beginning to cool between them as they stilled their movements. As Damon allowed his hands to fall down her back, he tugged a bit, pulling her closer. Elena placed her hands on his cheeks, brushing away his damp hair and pressing a kiss to his lips, a kiss that was simultaneously filled with passion and ease, as if they had all the time in the world. Damon tangled a hand in her hair, the other running up and down her back, eliciting a shiver from Elena as she shifted closer to his chest. He lifted her and rolled them over so he was halfway lying on top of her, able to be in control of the kiss.

She smiled into the kiss, liking this side of Damon, the one he refused to acknowledge existed. The side that allowed him to care about her satisfaction during sex instead of making it all about the taking for him. The side that wanted to hold her after, regardless of whether or not he would ever admit such a thing. And the side that could kiss her like this… yet still he denied having feelings for her. Either he was playing a very good game, or he must have feelings for her, deep down. She sighed. Either way, it didn't do her any good to keep slipping back into this pattern. If he didn't care about her like that, then she was only hurting herself. If he did, then he wasn't man enough to declare his feelings and at least attempt to take her for his own. Reluctantly, she broke the kiss.

"That was… intense," Elena said, smiling up at Damon, "but I have to get back to class. I was only supposed to be gone for one period and now I've missed half of my next class."

"Whatever," Damon said, the wall immediately going up. He knew what she really meant. Stefan would be missing her, and we can't have him asking questions, now, can we?

Elena's eyes clouded over with confusion. How could that have possibly pissed him off? He should be grateful that she risked coming over here in the first place. He rolled over, allowing her to get up. She wouldn't look at him as she got dressed. She made a resolution right then and there. This was the absolute last time she let herself get seduced by Damon. She had enough secrets in her life already; she refused to create a new one. And she had no reason to do this to Stefan. This time, it really was actually cheating. And she couldn't believe she let herself do that.

"I'll see you around," she said bitterly. "I hope you feel better." She fled the room before he could respond.

Damon ran his hands over his face and made an indeterminate noise of frustration. And that was exactly why he was done with Elena Gilbert.

Stefan got home from school and noticed that all the bottles from the living room had been emptied. Curious, he looked around for Damon who was poking through the refrigerator. At least he was dressed, looking halfway presentable. Stefan wasn't sure if he wanted to ask the question that was burning in his mind. Caroline had asked him if Elena was alright since she missed a class today. Elena showed up at her next class with Stefan looking just fine, so he decided not to mention anything. But he had a pretty good idea of where she went. She might have thought she was being casual, but he knew exactly how many times she had inquired after Damon this week alone. He decided to take the plunge. He had been holding back from expressing his irritation long enough.

"Was Elena here today?" he asked. Damon pretended like he didn't hear him, selecting something and closing the refrigerator door. Stefan pursued the topic further. "Listen, I don't mind you holing up in here in whatever downward spiral of depression you're working through, but don't drag Elena into your mess."

That got his attention. "My mess?" Damon said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, your mess. See, something I'm sure you know about Elena is that she has a big heart, and you shouldn't take advantage of that."

Damon laughed darkly. "St. Stefan protecting the virtue of his beloved. No, really, it's sweet."

Stefan narrowed his eyes. "I'm not talking about her virtue."

"Well you probably should be."

"Her virtue is not the point here. I trust Elena implicitly. You, however -"

"Yeah yeah yeah, I'm the big bad wolf and you don't want me to eat Little Red Riding Hood."

"Something like that. It's just that Elena is a caring, nurturing person, and I don't want you twisting it into something wrong."

"Right… well, relax little brother, I have no intention of getting romantically involved with anyone in the foreseeable future. They just screw you over in the end. Not that I would mind getting screwed… over… by Elena," he said, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "Kidding. Look, if there's one thing I've learned from this whole debacle it's that it's better not to care. You don't care, you don't get your heart broken. So rest easy, kid. The princess is safe from the dragon."

Stefan rolled his eyes. "Any more clichés you want to whip up before I go?"

"Nah, I'm good, they'd just be wasted on you anyway. In fact, I think I'm going to go find a more like-minded crowd."

"What do you mean?" Stefan asked suspiciously.

"I think it's time to bond with my fellow daytime drinkers. You know, make friends with the town drunk. Later."

"Damon," Stefan called out in a warning tone. Damon ignored him and left. Stefan ran a hand through his hair. He didn't like not knowing what Damon was going to do next. At least he could rest easy about Elena. It seemed she only felt pity for Damon.

Damon sat at the bar and nursed his - what was it again? Bourbon? Gin? Scotch? Well, whatever it was, it was smooth and amber and hit the spot. A few more of these and he would be able to relax.

"Daytime drinking - never a good sign," he heard. Damon turned around, ready to snap at whoever seemed to be judging him. He held back and slipped into the role of friend to all town council members.

"Sheriff Forbes, what's a girl like you doing in a place like this?" he said charmingly. She smirked and sat down beside him.

"So, listen, I'm sorry to jump straight into this, but I have to get back to the station. I just have a really huge favor to ask of you."

"Oh, anything I can do to help," he said with a wave of his glass.

"Right. Well, it's like this. Every year we have this completely pretentious Bachelor Auction run by the town council as a fundraiser and we're one bachelor short. I've got to find an eligible bachelor for our panel or else I have a year's worth of pitying looks and snide comments to look forward to. Please don't make me endure that."

"You want me to be in your bachelor auction?" Damon asked, slightly surprised.

"You'd be a lifesaver," she pleaded.

Damon smirked. How wrong she was. "Sure. Why not. Can't let down the prettiest sheriff in town," he flirted.

"Thanks! Oh man, will I be glad to wipe that simpering look off - a-hem, anyway, thank you for your participation." She pulled out a pen and pad of paper. "Here's the time and place you need to show up to prior to the event. The attire is semi-formal so please don't feel you have to show up in a tuxedo," she said, ripping off a piece of paper. "I've got to run - thanks a million! I owe you one!"

Damon stared at the bit of paper, a slow smile forming on his face. Not only was he securing his spot in the circle of trust, but he's getting a date out of it. Things were looking up…

Author's note: So Elena and Damon each think they're done with each other. Riiiight. Anyway, let me know what you think so far. (Side note: Rest easy, Matt's mom will not be making an appearance in Damon's mouth. I'd just as soon block out that particular cougar moment.) Thanks for reading and reviewing!