GUILT

A/N: Got a few requests for a POV in Mystic Falls and here it is…

DPOV

Two weeks.

Two very long…very agonising weeks and each day had been spent in the same chair, staring at the fireplace and drinking. I had drunk to the point where I was now finishing my last bottle, which really sucked because in order to numb myself, I had to use the good stuff.

Now, I was depressed.

This only worsened as the door opened and Stefan strolled in with Elena and Bonnie flanking his sides. As soon as their eyes landed on mine, the shred of happiness they had been riding on, was erased.

Glancing at the clock, I was surprised to find that it was six forty-two. Having the curtains drawn made it difficult to notice any changes to the day. "How was school?" I called back.

Out of the three, only my little brother had been the one to address me in a civilised manner. "It's Sunday" he replied with a concerned tone.

"Of course it is" I nodded and slumped back as I waited for the last drop to take its toll and release me from any feeling.

From my peripheral vision, I caught how Elena and Bonnie linked arms, both of them glaring at me as they slipped into the kitchen.

I simply rolled my eyes and stumbled away from the fire but only landing on the floor on my ass, only a few feet away. Laughing at myself, I allowed my head to fall back onto the sofa behind me as I quietly watched the flames. The flickering sparks reminded me of when she dragged me camping. She had claimed it was an experience that she always wanted to try, only she soon realised that she knew nothing about it. From starting fires to setting up the tent.

"She hated it" I chuckled to myself as the memories continued to reel through.

A few steps approached me and I heard my brother stop a foot away. "Damon…?" he murmured but whatever else he added faded into static.

I tilted my head to the side as the amusing memories were still the best that I had. "But she loved the stars" I recalled and remembered how I decided to help her and she hugged me. Her arms had tightly been wound around my shoulders as she kissed my back in gratitude. I remember turning to her and pulling her in for a better kiss which she easily responded to. We then ended up laying on the grass and looking up at the midnight sky. "Yeah, she really loved the stars" I laughed again at the pleasant memories of one of her hands holding mine while the other trailed up my chest.

"Bella…?"

I snapped my head up at the idiotic question from my brother. "Who else?" I retorted and tried to tip back the bottle. Only a drop touched my tongue and I groaned in frustration. However, my aggravation was interrupted with a low scoff. "Something to say Elena?" I barked and tightly clenched the fingers around the crystal bottle.

"You can't exactly sit there and pretend to care when you were the one to give her up" she spat.

My rage toppled and I shot up, whirling around as I took a threatening step towards her. "Don't you think I know that!" I growled and took another step as a growl emanated. "I don't see you giving yourself up?" I added but found it difficult to find pleasure with her pained flinch. "None of you need to act all high and mighty when none of you have done anything!" I scowled.

"Damon, you need to calm down" Stefan placed a hand on my shoulder but I shook it off and angrily threw the bottle into the fire. The loud shattering of glass surprised them into a startled jump. "I'm going to…" I trailed off and simply walked out, leaving them to their guilt and shame.

After slamming the door behind me, I swayed towards the car ad opened it. Only, I changed my mind and slammed it shut, deciding to walk instead.

-FLASHBACK-

As I snuck into her room, I paused when I caught sight of her naked back as she pulled on the red and white pyjama shorts, covering the purple lace underwear.

Somehow she sensed me and craned her neck towards me, peeking up from her lashes. "People need to stop doing that" she gasped but her tone held no anger, just surprise.

"Sparkles?" I guessed.

She smirked with her doe like eyes gleaming. "Bingo!" she congratulated but with a dry tone. I knew she didn't like talking about him, just like she returned the favour when not mentioning Katherine. "So what are you doing here?" she asked, steering the conversation.

I threw the other leg over the window and caught myself on the bedpost before falling. "I was in the neighbourhood and I thought I'd drop by" I grinned again when I watched her hunt for her grey Snoopy t-shirt. "Good thing too. I wouldn't have wanted to miss that" I looked over her and despite her rolling her eyes, I left a burning gaze that roamed over her shapely legs.

I silently continued to study her while she walked around the room. However, I spoke up when I caught her reaching for the black hairband. "Leave it" I whispered throatily.

She smiled knowing that I loved to play with her hair and I mirrored it with her compliance. "Charlie's got an overnight shift" she informed me.

A wicked grin sparked but I feigned nonchalance. "Good to know" I shrugged.

After eyeing me for a second, she sighed and smiled briefly. "Okay then" she surprised me when whirling around and jumping into the bed. Her hands pulling the covers over her head as she switched off the lights. "Night" she piped up and released a deep breath.

I smiled. Then, I slow began to stalk over to her, each step had me losing an item of clothing and dropping it to the floor. I pulled the shirt over my head, remembering how she would slip her fingers under my top and trace different shapes and lines. I also kicked off my shoes because she had reprimanded me before.

Then finally, I jumped into the bed and felt at peace with her pleased giggles. They only loudened when I shrugged under the covers, wrapping my arms around her and nuzzling her neck.

It was when I relaxed that she slowly turned to me, my arms still wrapped around her waist and holding her close to my form. She was so warm.

Adorning ease and with familiarisation, she rested her head onto my cheek and then peeked up at me. "You smell nice" she commented, proving that I could never be sure of what she was thinking. Another smile rose at the feel of her thumb ever so delicately ghosting against my collarbone. Only, this pleasure didn't last as long as I hoped as my closed eyes fluttered open with her next thought. "What did you do to Stefan?" she whispered innocently.

There was no malice, just curiosity so I couldn't be angry. "What? Why?" I frowned, wondering what she had heard or what I had been accused of.

"Just wondering why you're not spending your night in your big comfortable bed with the soft Egyptian cotton sheets" she smirked against my bare chest and I felt the warmth of her flushed cheeks.

"Because you're not in it" I replied truthfully, surprising us both. She then glanced up with a devious grin that fell when she realised I was being serious.

The smile returned but it was slightly forced. "I always knew you had a heart Tin Man" she teased, punching my arm lightly.

"There's no place like home" I quoted unintentionally and frowned with the lack of control I had over my brain and my mouth. Somehow, when I was with her, I forgot.

"Home?" she blinked up and I inwardly groaned.

When I gave no reply, she offered her own encouraging smile and reached up to place a kiss on my cheek. However, I didn't allow her to pull back as I removed the hand on her hip, slipped it up to wound it within her locks as I captured her lips with mine.

As always she responded by fighting for dominance when winding her leg around mine. She arched her back and rolled us over so that I was beneath her. Before I could fight back, she played dirty when distracting me with her hot breath on my neck as she sucked on my collarbone. All the while, her fingernails grazing my scalp and a purr trembled through my lips but she swallowed it when her fevered lips landed back onto mine.

The heightened lust awoke my fangs which instantly dropped. She paused and drew back, staring at me but I didn't dare to look away, regardless of the worry of her pulling away completely. As always and in true Isabella Swan fashion, she reached up and gently stroked over the red eyes and down to the protruding veins. Her fingers releasing a strange but desirable heat.

She then craned her neck up, tilting her head back and pushing her hair out of the way. She ignored all warnings as she did and offered herself up to me, despite not knowing what I would do. Of course, I doubted that I could ever hurt her but she didn't know that.

Then again, she was so tempting…her blood…her pulse…her heartbeat…her warmth…

That was enough to leave a burning ache within my fangs and spread to my incisors and through my jaw. She smiled encouragingly but I could hear her breath hitching before picking up a pace. The thundering drum of her heartbeat was enough to let me know that she was nervous…but not scared.

Tangling my fingers through the darkened locks, I cradled her head and pulled her close. My lips inched away from her bare neck as I readied myself for the feed.

Only, I broke away when I heard the aggravating sound of rubber tires against the gravel.

"What was that?"

She snapped up to sharply and when I moved back, I failed to catch her as she rolled off the bed. The loud thump of her body hitting the floor had me laughing. At the sound, she raised her head and glared at me before pushing herself up. "Don't say a word" she threatened but her embarrassed flush still coloured her cheeks. This then cooled as she pressed her face against the cool glass. "He wasn't supposed to back tonight" she murmured and I found pleasure in her disappointment.

This didn't linger for too long as she began to collect the pieces of my clothing and then shoved them into my hands. After one last chaste kiss, she began to push me towards the window. We stumble and then paused. "Later?" I waited.

"Later" she promised.

Her smile is the last thing I saw before jumping into the darkness.

-FLASHBACK END-

"Damon…"

I looked up to the sullen faced man. His tired brown eyes held bulging red veins and his curled wisps were wild and tousled. He was in his police uniform but the top was unbuttoned slightly, revealing the simple black tee underneath. His holster was tilted and missed a loop.

"Charlie…" I greeted him, matching his lack of enthusiasm as I walked up towards him.

He surprised me when patting the space next to him and I gave a half-assed smile when walking up the creaky porch steps. The small crack was my fault because it had been where I had landed when jumping down her window.

"You reek" Charlie scowled at me, once I sat down beside him.

I simply shrugged, "I can't sleep"

"So you drink?" he retorted with an edged tone but I could only shrug again. This time, I clapped my hands together and fell back on the seat. A small sigh fell from me and I briefly wondered why I had brought myself here. Only the thought was disrupted with him swiftly walking away and disappearing into his house.

I considered leaving but heard a distinct clink and the rummaging through drawers. A moment later, he appeared again with a half empty tequila bottle and two glasses.

"How come you're not at work?" I wondered when he handed me the bottle.

He sighed heavily and sunk back on the seat. "Liz took my badge" he informed me with a nonchalant and taciturn tone. It was clipped but also exhausted which meant that he probably didn't even care anymore.

"You got into trouble?" I teased, trying to lighten the mood.

Her father offered a small chuckle and shook his head. The flicker of amusement falling into a seriousness as his head fell into his hands. "If only she could see me now" he breathed but still filled our glasses.

"What did you do?"

He laughed again and whistled lowly. "Drunk driving" he chuckled once again and I weakly smiled. This only fell into a deepened grimace when I caught the tears that brimmed in his eyes. "I broke down her truck" he confessed with a broken hoarse voice.

"I never understood why she loved that piece of junk" I tried.

Charlie "She always saw the good in things that were broken"

"That she did" I murmured, hating how the words sunk too deep. I dropped my head at the memory of her gripping me tightly and promising not to let go. I hated the sound of her whispered assurances against my ear when she promised it would all okay. I was ashamed at the feeling of her warmth wrapped around mine as she held my hand tightly.

The reeling memories had me pushing up with a loud groan. Wide eyes that were all too familiar, trailed after me. "Where you going?" he asked and i9t was then that I realised I was half a mile away from him.

"I don't know" I muttered and kept walking, feeling more numb with each step that I continued to falter on. "I don't know" I repeated coldly.

A/N: "Guilt is not a response to anger; it is a response to one's own actions or lack of action." ― Audre Lorde. Seemed fitting for this chapter.

Still hate Damon? Any ideas as to where he could be going?

Thank you all for being to wonderful and supportive. Your reviews and your follows/favourites are greatly appreciated. I would also like to thank you for nominating me in the Bloodlust Awards and I recently learnt - the Intertwined Eternity Awards. Thank you again and good luck to the other authors who are friends and idols. I look up to all of them and to even be among them, it is a real honour.

More updates tomorrow...