AN: Hello! Sorry for the long delay. I started working again so my time has been limited! Anyway thanks as always! I love you all! Please enjoy and review!

Chapter 25

So, here we are

That's pretty far

When you think of where we've been

No going back

I'm fading out

All that has faded me within

You're by my side

Now everything's fine

I can't believe

You found me

When no one else was lookin'

How did you know just where I would be?

Yeah, you broke through

All of my confusion

The ups and the downs

And you still didn't leave

I guess that you saw what nobody could see

You found me

You found me

And I was hiding

'Til you came along

And showed me where I belong

You found me

When no one else was lookin'

How did you know?

How did you know?

You Found Me by Kelly Clarkson

Layla's POV

Standing in front of my father's grave is so strange. Why had I never visited before? After I became a vampire I started to remember some things I guess I had been compelled to forget. Katherine Pierce killed my father and compelled me to forget all about it. What a small fucked up world.

It's been four months since I became a vampire, since I'd seen my mother. And sitting in front of my father's grave in the middle of the night is the first time I've been alone in as many months. I may or may not have snapped my boyfriend's neck to get out of the house. Yea, I know it's messed up but I couldn't even pee without Damon hovering outside the door. There has been no sign of my mother. I know she'll show up when I'm least expecting it. I really don't care right now though. I just needed to breathe.

I love Damon, eternally. Our relationship has done nothing but grow stronger but everyone needs alone time. It's not even that I really want alone time, he just won't let me do anything outside of the damn house. And more often lately I feel as if he's not even really there with me, he's just looking over my shoulder constantly, being paranoid, waiting.

I stretch my arms above my head and sit back against my father's gravestone. Maybe it's disrespectful but he's my dad after all. It's a beautiful starry winter night. I'd be freezing if I was a human. My acute hearing is picking up on someone coming towards me, someone's feet crunching on rarely fallen snow. I have to fight the urge to completely vamp out when I hear someone approaching, I think it's a predator thing.

"Layla, it's me." I groan and put my face in my hands. Stefan, why!? Stefan is like family to me but I know he's just here to drag me back to his brother.

I watch the younger Salvatore come into view wearing a nice looking black pea coat that Caroline urged him to buy, but I don't move. He looks at me with a slight smile on his face, his arms folded across his chest.

"Snapping his neck was a little extreme, don't you think?" He actually sounds amused. I shrug.

"It's his own damn fault for not letting me do anything ever. I was bound to snap." He holds his hands up as if to defend himself.

"I've been telling him that for a month. I'm surprised you lasted this long. He takes overprotection to a whole new level." Stefan sits down on the ground in front of me.

"I feel trapped and I hate it! I know he wants me safe but he can't put me in a damn cage. I need to get out of the house. I need to feel like I have a boyfriend not a prison guard." I don't mean to sound pouty.

"I get it. I do. Damon…he's scared. He likes being able to control everything going on around him. You were taken from him once and were killed; I really don't think he would have survived had you really died. He feels guilty so he's taking things too far. It's what he does I nod my head in agreement.

"He has no reason to feel guilty. It's not his fault. I would have gone to her anyway, I told him that. Lately I just don't feel like he's here with me. He's more concerned about our enemies than our relationship. And I know he thinks he's doing it to save our relationship but he's making me feel alone…even though he's there all the time." Stefan seems to sympathize with me. He looks sad.

"He's always been his own worst enemy. Just…be patient with him. Don't let him push you away; he's not doing it on purpose. He's just not thinking straight because he's scared of losing you." It's moments like these when I realize exactly how much the Salvatore brothers truly love each other.

"I'd never give up in him or leave him Stefan. I love him, more than I thought possible. I just need to breathe. I need him to be here with me."

Stefan's phone has been buzzing nonstop, Damon no doubt. I'd left mine at the house. I gesture at him to answer it, he half smile apologetically and picks up. Of course I can hear every word.

"I can't find her Stef! I swear to God I'm going to k…" Stefan interrupts his brother's yelling.

"She's with me, she's fine. We're at her father's grave. I'll bring her home in a bit." Damon lets out a half sigh, half groan.

"And you couldn't bother to fucking call me and tell me this!? I'm going out of my damn mind here! I know you can hear me Layla! Why the hell did you leave!? And without your fucking phone!?" Stefan holds the phone away from his ear, Damon'v voice is way too loud. Yep he's pissed.

I find myself glaring despite the fact that Damon can't actually see me.

"I'll see you soon. Stop acting like a petulant child, I can feel you glaring at me from wherever the hell you are." He hangs up.

Stefan laughs at my taken a back expression.

"You two know each other too well." He's right.

I let my head fall back against my father's grave stone.

"I don't want to face him. It's just going to turn into a giant shit fest of a fight."

Damon and I didn't fight too often…not really, but when we did the fights were always intense. We'd scream and yell, he'd go downstairs get drunk and break things or rarely he'd leave and make Stefan or Lena babysit me and come home plastered and smelling like blood. Then we'd always make up. I love you's, sex, talks of the future. We loved each other more than anything, no doubt about it and maybe that's why when we fought it was horrible. We were always fighting for each other. No matter what I know the outcome of the yelling will always be the same, apologies on both ends. I never actually fear for our relationship. I just hate how upset he gets. I know he acts without thinking. I don't want him to disappear for a week because he's on some killing spree because he's overthinking something I said. It's just frustrating.

"Probably. But you knew that and you still left. Just tell him what you told me…if you can get a word in between his ranting." I laugh. Stefan stands and holds a hand out to me, helping me to my feet.

"That's a difficult thing to do."

We walk side by side as we head back to the boarding house. I wish he would stop for a 'bite' with me. But I never want to put Stefan in that position. He seems quieter than usual. Right when the house barely comes into view he stops walking. I turn to look at him. One hand is stuffed in his coat pocket, he seems nervous.

"Can I talk to you about something?" Definitely nervous.

"Of course you can Stef." He lets out a sigh.

"I feel like Elena and I are finally where we should be in our relationship. There's no one coming after her, no huge master plan threatening to end one of our lives, no one else fighting for her affection." It still blows my mind that she and Damon had once seen each other in that way. I urge him to continue

"She seems so genuinely happy lately and so am I. I know she's young and hasn't exactly experienced all that life has to offer. But there isn't any of the normal human things standing in our way. I mean…I don't see any reason not to…I just really want her to..." He's stumbling over his words. He has me so lost. He pulls at his hair in frustration.

"Damnit! This!" He pulls his fidgety hand out of his coat pocket, a velvet box resting in his palm. My eyes widen in surprise. Oh!

"Oh my God! You want to propose to Elena!" He nods his head frantically." I reach forward and open the box. It's a beautiful pear shaped diamond with other small diamonds all around the band. It's very beautiful without being overwhelming.

"Stefan…"

"It's a bad idea isn't it? She would never say yes, I mean she's still so young…" I fold his hand over the box and take his cold hand in mine.

"She'll love it Stefan, she loves you. Of course you should propose to her, she'll say yes." My words seem to reassure him and he smiles widely, his whole form relaxes. He chuckles lightheartedly and pulls me into a quick hug.

"Thank you Layla. I've had this for weeks, I've been terrified to actually do it."

"Go for it! I'm so excited and happy for you!" He smiles warmly at me before looking over my shoulder towards the house.

"As much as I'd love to stay to witness the bloodshed I think I'm going to go see if Elena is awake." My heart sinks. Time to face the music. We say our goodbyes and part ways.

I walk into the house as if I'm on a mission. I will not let him get the better of me or make me feel bad for leaving! I know he'll have heard me coming. As I expected he's standing in the entryway as I furiously remove my unnecessary white down jacket that Damon says makes me look like a marshmallow.

I storm right past him to pour myself a bourbon in front of the fireplace. I hear him walk up behind me but continue to stare into the flames.

"Well someone's in a bad mood." I clench my jaw and bite my tongue. I will not let his sarcasm make me snap. "Didn't your visit with daddy go well?" I spin to face him. He's already going for the low blows. His usual smirk is in place, but his eyes lack humor.

"I am not going to apologize for leaving this damn house Damon. I feel like a prisoner and I'm sick of it!" The smirk drops, he whole face seems to fall. Fear flashes in his eyes. My heart clenches in shame. Of course he'll take things wrong. I step towards him as he steps back.

"I'm not sick of you you dummy. I'm tired of you keeping watch on me all the time. We need to get out. We need to actually enjoy ourselves. I miss you. It's like you're not really here." He seems to relax again. I embrace him, he folds his arms gently around me in return.

"Don't say cruel things to me because I refuse to live by you 'rules'. There shouldn't be rules like that. I don't want to have to snap your neck to get out of the house." He actually laughs a little.

"I can't believe you did that. At first I was furious. But after I found out you were ok I was kinda impressed." He holds me at arm's length before pressing his lips to mine. He's less retrained than he has been in a long time. His tongue enters mine with a passion I've missed desperately. He pulls away leaving me breathless. He looks more like himself, arrogant, amused.

"I know I've been acting like a dipshit lately. I just didn't want to admit it. I like being right, I really really hate being wrong. One of my very few character flaws. I'll relax a little. We can go out more. I just don't want to give that woman the chance to hurt you."

He sits on the couch, I in turn sit on his lap. It was always hard to keep my hands to myself around Damon and for the first time in a long time he isn't tense, his hand strokes my back.

"I know baby but I don't want her ruling our lives. I refuse to let this crap go on anymore. We need to live and be happy damnit!" He has a ridiculous grin on his face for some reason.

"What?" He kisses the top of my head.

"You called me baby. You've never called me a pet name. It's kind of endearing coming from you." I roll my eyes and lay my head against his chest. Can you blush when you're a vampire?

"I promise I'll start being happier pookie." I slap his chest and glare at him when he laughs.

"Shut up! I'm never talking again."

"Aww, why not? I love your voice baby cakes." I growl and bare my fangs. I'm going to kill him.

"Oooo, real scary angel puff." This time I can't help but laugh a long with him.

"Angel puff? Really? Just stick to princess and I'll stick to Damon and asshole." He kisses me softly on the lips. I jump to my feet with a wide smile. He looks at me like I'm crazy.

"Guess what!?" He shifts on the couch so he's lying back with his hands behind his head.

"What has you so excited?"

"Stefan is going to propose to Elena!" He rolls his eyes.

"Of course he is. How very Stefan like of him. My broody little brother would want to get married even though both he and his girlfriend are vampires." He's no fun at all.

"You're such a party pooper. I'm so excited! I've never been to a wedding. It's so adorable!" He raises his eyebrow in that skeptical way of his.

"You're excited for a stupid wedding between two vampires? You don't think it's ridiculous?" I throw a kleenex box at him which he deflects easily.

"It's not ridiculous! It's romantic and beautiful." Damon reaches forward and pulls me to straddle his lap.

"You are so weird. But guess what?" He sits up and begins trailing kisses down my neck.

"Hmm?" He smiles against my skin at my breathy reply.

"I love you princess."