A/N: This is the last chapter for this story. I am so sad to see it end. But thank you to all those who have supported me and the story throughout. It really does mean everything to me. I do have some good news. I will be doing a sequel, however I have no idea when I will start it. But please keep an eye out for it in the new year. Thank you so much.
Please review, I really do look forward to hearing from you all. Thank you.
Twenty-five
They had so much to talk about, so much that she couldn't process what it all was, not in one sitting anyway. The night before had been magical for her, and for him she hoped, but now that dawn and been and gone, she couldn't get it out of her head. Something was bothering her still. Something she couldn't quite put her finger on.
After waking to the beautiful sunrise that gleamed through Damon's window's, she had led in his bed just gazing at the handsome man sleeping peacefully next to her, trying to process what was off about this whole situation, trying to process what they needed to talk about.
Elena had no clue as to what made her feel this way. It could be that she had to look over her shoulder for so long that she couldn't possibly believe that everything was going to go right for once, maybe she was just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Or it could be that something was actually wrong and it was bugging her to no ends.
After about an hour of just staring, she had enough. Staring at him for that length of time made her come to the conclusion that she wasn't going to get any answers just by staring. They needed to talk. But first she would need a clear head, something she wasn't able to do while being round him.
Elena left the bedroom, hoping that she hadn't woken him and went wondering down the corridors of the boarding house. The house was silent and mostly dark. She preferred it that way. She preferred not being interrupted by anyone, not while she was trying to figure things out anyway.
When she reached the Parlour, the first thing she noticed was that the fire was crackling on the opposite side of the room. The flames danced magically to the stillness of the house. Taking a step forward, she found herself being drawn to the flames. Her eyes searched the orange and blue, maybe she expected the answers to come sprouting out for her to grasp onto. She didn't know, but she couldn't take her eyes of them.
A cough startled her through the silence. Jumping slightly, she turned with big wide eyes and stared at the person leaning against the wall. At first she had hoped it wasn't Stefan, not after their conversation last night. So, on instinct, she flinched and tensed her shoulders, expecting to see his glaring green eyes. Instead she saw the amused blue ones instead. His jet black hair was ruffled at slightly odd angles, his mouth curved at one end, and she knew he was trying to hold in his laughter at her jumping almost out of her skin.
She expected to feel annoyed by the fact that even though she was a vampire now, he still managed to make her jump. Instead she felt confusion. Her eyebrows knitted together as the emotion travelled through her mind. How did he get down here without her knowing? It was only minutes ago that she had left him sleeping. Maybe she should have felt annoyed by that as well but she didn't, no, it was just confusion. She was suppose to be a vampire now, suppose to be able to detect that someone or something else was roaming around. Maybe it was because her mind had been preoccupied. That seemed like the logical explanation.
She watched him push himself off the wall, her eyes not leaving his, her expression not changing. He turned to face her, the amusement now evaporated from his face. His mouth was now set in a grim line as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"I heard you leave the room." He offered an explanation.
"So, you managed to light a fire in the time it took for me to get down here?" Her one eyebrow rose slightly.
"Um, no. Stefan lit it... he's gone hunting."
"Oh." She felt uncomfortable under his steady gaze, she could see him trying to work something out and it made her uneasy.
Slowly she turned back toward the fire, her eyes finally leaving his and landing once more on the movements of the flames. She could still feel his eyes burning into her, which only made her feel even more uncomfortable.
"So... Wanna tell me why you left me to wake up alone?" Elena could tell he was trying to make light of it, trying to make it not such a big deal... maybe for her sake. But as always, she saw right through it, the hurt in his voice was only just audible, but she had heard it.
"Needed to clear my head." What else was she suppose to say? The urge to look at him pulsed through her mind, fighting it was becoming unbearable, but somehow she managed to keep her eyes locked on the crackling fire.
"Why?" The confusion was evident in his voice.
She shrugged, unable to form her thoughts into words. Although forming them into actual thoughts was the thing she found the hardest. "I don't really know. Having trouble figuring my thoughts out I suppose."
"You're worried?" She glanced across at him and instantly wished that she hadn't. The intensity in his eyes sent a shiver running through her spine, sent goosebumps to travel across her olive skin. Her heart started thumping hard and fast against her rib cage. She swallowed passed the lump in her throat, hoping that Damon hadn't caught onto just how his mere presence could cause such a reaction.
"I suppose. I'm... I... I don't know."
"I get it." Her eyes grazed across his firmly shaped abs, his hairy legs, the one thing she wanted to see again was hidden perfectly by his navy blue boxer shorts. When her eyes landed once again on his eyes, she knew she had been caught checking him out, but what caught her off guard was that he wasn't basking in it, in fact he seemed rather... concerned.
"Get what?" Her whispered words were only just audible but she knew he had caught them loud and clear.
"I get that your waiting for the other show to drop. I am, too. This seems too good to be true. That something big, bad and dangerous is just waiting right around the corner and we will be pulled apart... again. I. Get. It."
She felt tears spring to her eyes, and she willed them not to fall. How is it that he managed to put her thoughts into perspective when she couldn't even do it? He could always read her like a book, and her him. But he managed to hit the nail right on the head. She was worried about that. She was worried about losing him, that if something didn't turn up to rip them apart then maybe they could do that all on their own. Maybe he would finally figure out that she wasn't worth all this effort, that maybe he would decide to move on, away from her. Maybe... There was just too many maybe's for her to process.
"Don't do that." His gruff voice brought her mind back to the room and to him.
Once again her eyebrows knitted together as the words registered through her hazy mind. "Do what?"
He rolled his eyes at her, as if that was the most stupidest question out there. "You know what. Your thinking that if something evil doesn't tear us apart then we'll do a perfect job ourselves."
How the hell does he do that? Her eyes grew wide as her fears were brought out into the open. Her mouth gaped open as her mind searched for a logical response.
Another roll of his eyes and he took a step toward her. "I will not leave you, do you hear me? What we have is... well I can't think of the perfect word for it. We may have our rough times ahead, but no matter what, I am not going to leave you."
She stared into the depths of his crystal blue eyes, searched for any sign of doubt. Shock coursed through her system as she registered the truth of what he just said. Before she could respond though, he continued. "Last night was amazing in every sense. I don't need any more. All I need is you. Your everything to me, and I will not allow us to be ripped apart by anything, not even ourselves, I love you too much to allow that to happen... Your mine now... for all of eternity."
A lone tear fell at his words and she couldn't hold herself back, not now, not after such wonderful words. She leapt into his arms, crushing her body against his. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and her lips found his. She felt him stumble backward as his he caught her, his arms wrapping around her waist.
His lips were warm and soft, her tongue slid out and across the slit. He immediately opened up and she quickly thrust her tongue inside, stroking the inside with long strokes. He tasted so... amazing. It was intoxicating. Her head spun at the taste, at the smell of him.
His tongue found hers and they battled as the passion grew between them. His hands slid across her shirt clad hips before easing underneath. When his fingertips touched her bare skin ever so softly, her entire body tingled with pleasure.
Elena weaved her fingers through his thick black hair, pushing his head into her lips even more. With a growl, he pushed her up against the wall at vampire speed. A small jolt of pain shot through her spine at the contact. Her eyes flew open in surprise but soon closed them again as his right hand moved from her hip, gripped her leg and wrapped it round his waist, clutching the back of her knee.
He removed his lips from hers, and for a moment she felt the loss from the lack of contact. Not giving her time to process the thought of that, Damon started to nibble and suck at her neck, causing those all too familiar goosebumps to appear. Her whole body hummed with need. She withered beneath him as her body burned for more.
Her hands gripped his hair harder, pushing him into her.
She tried to move her leg, get a better position, but he held her firmly. She tried to say something, anything to get his attention. But no words came to her.
Elena's eyes flew open as she tried to gulp past the panic that had now settled within. She was trapped. She couldn't move, and all she saw was him.
She froze beneath his body. His lips still worked across her neck. His left hand roamed her skin. Elena couldn't make a sound, suddenly frozen by fear. Her heart beat had spiked frantically, her breathing not quite normal, and she preyed that Damon would notice the change in her, would notice that something wasn't quite right.
Still he worked his way over her, trying to get a reaction, get her to moan. But she couldn't, she couldn't do anything but allow him to continue. As much as she wanted him to stop, to let her go, she couldn't bring herself to do it. The Vampire Rapist's face formed across her vision. She gulped loudly and closed her eyes tight shut.
Then he stopped. His lips were no longer on her skin, his hand stopped rubbing her hip.
Forcing her eyes open, they made contact with his blue ones. He had completely frozen, suspended in time. The concern was evident in his eyes, and she was so thankful that he had caught on.
But he still had her trapped, still she couldn't move. Fear was again gripping her heart, crushing it into tiny pieces.
As if he could read her mind, he dropped her leg and took a step back from her. Her hands were pressed against the wall, fear still holding a place around her heart.
She watched as the hurt crossed his features, and that was when she felt herself relax. She should no longer be scared, he wasn't anywhere near her now.
"I-" He cut himself off and ran one of his hands down his face. "God, Elena, I'm so, so, sorry."
She shook her head and licked her dry lips. "I... There's still some triggers, some things that set the fear in motion. You... you had me trapped."
"I know... I wasn't thinking. I didn't think." He took another step away from her, and she could feel him drifting further and further away from her emotionally. She didn't want that. Yes, she wanted him to stop what he was doing, but she didn't want him to draw away completely.
"It's not your fault."
"Damn right it is. I allowed myself to get lost in you."
"That's not a bad thing, Damon. I can't help it either, all I want is to get lost in you."
"Still..."
"Damon, you didn't know that would cause me to... I didn't even know, so how the hell are you suppose to." She watched as he tried to process that.
"You're right."
"Damon," she sighed, then her eyes grew wide as the realization of what he just said hit her full force. He gave in. Ha actually gave in. "Wait, that was easy, way too easy. Normally you fight me till your red in the face." She eyed him suspiciously.
A small crooked smile appeared on his perfect lips, the smile that made her heart leap for joy. "I know. But... I just know you're right. I just didn't mean to scare you, and I'm sorry."
"It doesn't matter. At least we know that you can't trap me or anything."
"Yeah. Maybe... maybe from now on you should... um... take the lead... It's just that I don't want to risk this happening again, and... also it may be a good idea until you're use to... this."
She sensed just how nervous he was by that. Damon Salvatore was not a man to just lay back and take it, he had to be the leader, always would want that, possibly need it. The thought that he was willing to do the very thing that made him uncomfortable made her heart swell with pure love for him and everything he was.
A wide smile appeared on his lips which made hers wider. She took the necessary step toward him and leaned up onto her tip toes, placing a gentle kiss on his lips.
"I love you," she whispered against them. He licked his lips and smashed them against hers. This time the kiss was different, more gentle and loving, less passion and animal need.
She allowed their lips to slide together as she hummed with pleasure.
A cough startled them apart. Damon had a frown on face as he stared over her shoulder. Slowly she turned and saw Caroline Forbes standing with her hands on her hips. Instead of looking pleased like Elena thought she might at seeing her alive, she was scowling at them, making Elena frown as well.
The Vampire Diaries – The Vampire Diaries – The vampire Diaries
The sound of birds singing filled the silence of the forest. The trees rustled in the gentle breeze, and a few drops of rain splashed to the forest floor. But Stefan paid no mind to it. He came out here to hunt. Elena thought he was back on the human stuff, but the truth was, he wasn't.
He had no idea what came over him in his brother's bedroom. The way he treated her made him want to be physically sick. His head spun as the images of her cautious face plagued his mind.
How could he do that to her? That wasn't him, it had never been him. Maybe it was because now that his brother had won the girl, now he was suppose to be the big bad brother.
But his heart ached for her, he wanted her back in his arms where she belonged. Instead she wanted him. Perhaps if she didn't have all the evil in the world come after her, then maybe she would still want him.
Now he had to think of a way to get her back, because deep, deep down he knew that she still loved him, whether she admitted it or not. She may say that she loves Damon, she may say that she wants to spend all of eternity with him, but he knew the truth.
The problem was: How was he going to get her to believe that it was actually him she wants and loves?
His footsteps faltered as the thought struck him full force. Katherine. Katherine could help.
Shaking his head, he knew that was wrong. Why would Katherine want to help him get Elena back? She has always said that she wants him.
Then another thought smacked him upside the head. What if he used her to get rid of his brother? He could make it believable. He could tell her that it would be a good way to get back at Elena.
Yes that seemed believable enough.
The Vampire Diaries – The Vampire Diaries – The Vampire Diaries
"Caroline." The whispered word only just made it past her parched lips.
"Elena. When the hell were you going to tell me you were back?"
"Um..." When was she? Truth be told she hadn't even thought of anyone else but herself. Yes, it was selfish, and she knew that. But all she wanted was to be in Damon's arms.
"Right. So instead of telling your best friend that you're back, you decided to go to him first?" Elena flinched at the way she said that, clearly Caroline wasn't happy about her getting it on with him.
"I'm sorry." She didn't know what else to say.
"Sorry? You're sorry? Hey, I get that your in love with him and everything, but don't you think your best friend deserves to know that your safe?"
"Yes, I do. But... I just... I don't know what else to say?"
Caroline let out a huff out and rolled her eyes. This wasn't good, it really wasn't. Then taking her by surprise, Caroline launched herself at her, wrapping her arms around Elena's neck. "I am so happy your okay," she whispered into the crook of her neck.
Elena didn't say anything, didn't feel the need to say anything. Instead she just settled down and wrapped her arms around her best friend, finding the comfort that all will be okay, it has to be okay. Now that Damon and herself have found each other, the last thing she needs or wants is something to come and disrupt that.
Eventually Caroline pulled back and Elena took a moment to glance into her face. Her cheeks were stained with black mascara and her eyes were puffy and red. An emotional Caroline was something to behold. Caroline got angry, frustrated, sad, but never cried... well not in front of people anyway. The thing with Caroline is she just had too much pride for herself to allow anyone else to see the tears. This time though she didn't hold back, and Elena understood why.
"Have you told everyone else?" Damon's gruff voice broke through their moment and Elena spun round to face him, startled by the fact that she had forgotten that he had been watching the whole exchange.
When her brown eyes landed on his face, the first thing she noticed was that he wasn't looking at her, but past her at Caroline. She could tell he was slightly pissed at being interrupted, that was one thing that had always gotten in the way before the whole 'Vampire Rapist is in town' business. She understood why he looked that way. They had gone so long without each other that all they wanted to do was just get lost within the other.
His blue eyes found hers and the intensity of them blew her breath away and made her heart leap in her chest. Her blood was pumped erratically round her veins and for a moment that was all she could concentrate on, until she heard a loud yell coming from another room in the house.
She forced herself to look away from Damon's eyes, and look toward the sound. When she finally glanced back at Damon he was no longer looking at her, but looking in the same direction of the shout, a frown marring his beautiful features.
"I'll be right back." Without looking in her direction, he sped out of the room using his supernatural ability.
For a moment neither Caroline nor Elena said anything, unsure of what was actually going on. Another scream made it's way through the silence of the house. The sound made her heart stop, made her breathing harder. Fear gripped her insides like an iron fist.
Then Caroline whispered her most darkest fear, something she had been praying wasn't true since she heard the second scream.
"That was Damon."
The Vampire Diaries – The Vampire Diaries – The Vampire Diaries
The pain shot through his head causing him to grip it fiercely. His brother was next to him, unconscious. He glanced quickly to his left and saw Bonnie standing near the big freezer where they kept the blood. Darkness began to obstruct his vision, not quite claiming him, but not giving up on taking him.
He needed to get to Elena, needed to make sure she was okay. The fear gripped his heart and squeezed viscously. This can't be all the time they have together. What kind of cruel universe is this?
Yells and footsteps sounded from behind him, but he couldn't make out who they were. He closed his eyes tightly, trying to fight of the darkness and nausea. He licked his dry lips and took in a deep breath. He can do this, he can get past it, just by taking slow deep breaths. He was sure of it.
Another bolt of pain shot through his head, a fresher one. He bit into his bottom lip, trying to hold back the scream that was threatening to break free. The metallic taste of his own blood drifted onto his tongue as the pain increased.
Then it stopped.
There was no longer a pain, no longer was he feeling sick to his stomach, and no longer was the darkness trying to consume him.
He could hear voices and more footsteps. Slowly he opened his eyes only to stare into Elena's beautiful doe ones. He could see her lips moving, but there was no sound coming from them.
Taking another few calming breaths, he forced himself to concentrate on hearing her voice, and just like that, the sounds started coming to him all at once. Caroline could be heard yelling in another room, Bonnie's sobs, Stefan's heavy breathing, and Elena's words.
"Damon, are you okay? Say something please." He could see the tears appear in her eyes, could sense the break in her voice. She was, of course, fearing the worse. But it was only now that he completely understood why she always did that, why she expected that she was always going to lose something, that someone will always come along and disrupt their quiet life. Now he understood.
He licked his dry lips again, feeling the bump of the bite he made only moments ago. "I'm fine."
Carefully he reached up and stroked the pads of his fingers down her soft cheek. He watched in awe as she visibly relaxed before him, his touch causing her eyes to drift shut.
"I was... so scared when I heard you." To normal human ears the words wouldn't have found them, but he heard them as clear as day. His heart broke at the emotion behind those words. Of course she had feared him dying, feared the worse. If she felt even a margin of what he felt for her, he knew how much the pain of fearing for the life you love so much can consume you.
But as he now gazed into her tear-y eyes, he knew, right there he knew. She loved him as much as he loved her, with so much passion, so much fierceness. They were in love and for the first time in his life his eyes were wide open.
He leaned forward and placed a gentle but firm kiss on her soft, plump lips, humming at the contact, drawing her closer.
At that moment he knew that no matter what life throws their way, they will get by, they will get past it. After all, they always survive... right?
A/N: There we go. What did you think? I will of course be continuing this story in a sequel, but as I've said before, I have no idea when I will start it. But please let me know what you think.
Thank you.