Bits of Sunshine

by Terans-DinosaurCostume

What do you do when you wake up in a TV show? Purposely mess up the plot and make Stefan's life a living hell. Clarissa assumed she was dreaming, but she's not waking up, and between family drama with this girl who is apparently her twin and a pot smoking younger brother, Clarissa can't seem to stop bumping into Damon.

25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: nothING I OWN NONE OF IT.

ASJKBHVFJA ENDLESSLY THANKFUL TO THE BEST FRIGGIN REVIEWERS IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD: dianaemrys15, sarahkitsonx, Fourth Lumbar Down ("Fairy problems, man." i laughed so hard. I'm going to have to use that line.), VampirePrincess11, Peace and Love831, Hurricane . '97 (HAH!), TheGrandSexyTootah (winks suggestively), Lil Miss Sunshine14 (Silary would be their name.), GirlWhoLovesVampires19, vikki. dillard, Moka-girl, Janedoee7 (i hope you're proud of yourself with the Honey Senpai business), daughterofsmokenbones, tablekorner, 21angle, MrsMusicAddict, Guests, RealHuntress18 (THANKIE FOR THE COOKIES BB. "Deremy made me vomit rainbows for the rest of the night. I came out of my bathroom with skittles littering my toilet and floor." the mental image is killing me ily), sharisa, SomebodyWhoCares, TivaFTW, xxLiveLoveReadxx, RenTenTen (welcome friend. Hope you still feel the same way!), Nessafly (i cant wit u i love your reviews 7-ever), Dreams and Dust (I wrote it with Alaric dressed as Darth Vader in my mind. EVERYONE'S DICKS ARE NOW RENAMED JAMES OMG. You would want to strange her, actually.) 11Dr. Luv, 1llu510n (luv u), marie65291 (I AM NOW LISTENING TO THE SONG! I shall work that into the story somewhere for ya! Also, I would've punched her. I think she owes that to you. One good punch in the face.), Kitsunekit75, Elex Black, JackieSatanOh, Randomreader1320, padfootfaerie123 (LOVE THE SONG!), Sissymac.

This chapter is dedicated to all my lovely reviewers who are currently being swamped with school! YOU GUYS CAN DO IT! YOU ARE DOING GREAT! Don't feel bad about needing to take breaks. Don't let school stress you guys out, okaays?

Rated M for MUFFIN BUTTON. No seriously, this is a totes rated M chapter. No worries, when you see the "(ノ◕ヮ◕)ノ" skip, skip, skip until seeing that again. I'd recommend listening to "What does the Fox say?!" while reading, because that's what I listened to when I wrote this SOB.

---

Damon and I were sprawled out on the floor of one of the many halls, my legs resting on top of his which were perched lazily on the wall, his ankles crossed. The mostly empty bag of kit-kats sat between us, and I was starting to believe I really had broken my vampire. He had taken it upon himself to deface the entire boarding house with glow-in-the-dark stars which ranged in sizes, all glowing a bright neon green, scattered about the ceiling prettily. Secretly, I kind of found it… romantic. He didn't even seem to care that I was making him lay on the floor with me, either, staring up at them like they were real stars.

Damon's sinful mouth was quirked into a smirk and he was looking devilishly beautiful, blue eyes tinted with a greenish color from the stars, while I was attempting to calm myself down from the bought of laughter he had easily thrown me into. He had just finished telling me about one of his first Halloween experiences, which mostly involved barely clothed college girls and a guy with a shotgun.

My amused giggles trickled, falling into a silence, as I tilted my head, the sound of distant, really friggin' ominous, dongs from a grandfather clock echoing creepily throughout the dark boarding house. The slight surprise of it being midnight couldn't squash my excitement. I turned back to Damon who was watching me with squinted blue eyes.

"It's officially Halloween!" I gushed as the final dong chimed, my grin growing. I rolled onto my side, leaning closer to him, giddily whispering, "Candy."

He rolled his eyes, scoffing. "Every day is Halloween for you," he said, flicking a wrapper at me. I imagined myself dressing up in a different costume every day, demanding candy from strangers. I silently added that to my must do list. "You just devoured two bags of kit-kats, how the hell are you excited about getting more?"

"I'm the sugar ripper, my hunger is insatiable." I said gravely, stretching, suddenly realizing how sore my back was becoming. Whining, I sat up, puffing my lip out into a pout as I rubbed my fingers over my stiff neck. I needed to be in top shape for tomorrow! "I think it's time for bed."

Damon was instantly on his feet. "Race you." Wha…?

He shoved me backwards when I stumbled to my feet and was gone before my ass hit the ground.

Fucking vampires. He should be smitten with me and be lovingly carrying me everywhere! Like I'm the queen! The queen of his dead vampire heart!

After two thousand years of wandering the dark boarding house (and bumping into various things painfully), I finally found my way to his room. He turned his head, looking completely unconcerned (and maybe a little amused) as I marched into the dimly lit room with a huff. He stood up straighter, leaning against the open dark oak dresser, head tilted, and I opened my mouth, ready to throw a fit for being left to wander the darkness alone for three eternities when my gaze slid upward.

There were stars on his ceiling, but not like the ones that littered the boarding house. These looked like real stars, twinkling and glowing, dotted beautifully across his ceiling like they would in the sky. A sense of awe filled me as I slowly wandered deeper into the room, completely stunned.

"Do you like it?" Damon murmured softly, appearing next to me, his gaze heavy. Despite sounding disinterested, I picked up the slight nervousness that edged his tone which dragged my gaze from the beautiful starry ceiling to his intense blue eyes.

It was bewildering whenever Damon was nervous. How could he be nervous? This was the most incredible thing I had ever seen!

"It's beautiful, D." I whispered, as though speaking any louder would break some unspoken rule. "Really, really, beautiful." I felt like I was little again, staring up at the night sky in Barbados for the first time, swept up in this awestruck feeling that warmed every part of me.

His fingers curled over mine, the sensation sending a thrill through me that quickened my pulse. Damon's mouth twitched as he gently drew me closer to him, leading me further into the room, and I followed, feeling a little dazed. Feeling a little shy. I was just suddenly so overwhelmed by this growing awestruck affection for him.

"They're fiber optic lights, I wasn't about to put those tacky plastic stars on my ceiling," he continued casually as my gaze returned to the ceiling. "I googled the night sky over the Caribbean and tried to match it the best I could."

My heart stumbled in my chest as I stared at him, utterly taken aback over how much effort he had put into this. It was just… It was just so romantic. "But—why?"

He didn't have to do that. I would have never known the difference! My stomach squirmed, a thousand different feelings all flaring to life inside my chest, and I found myself wanting to passionately confess all of them. …Only, I had no idea what they were, or how I could possibly put them into words.

Damon turned to look down at me, his smirk filthy. "Because, Claryberry, now you can tell everyone how my bedroom is your favorite place in the world." He winked and I released a breath, the overly romantic feelings that had swarmed up slowly fading.

Christ.

He was suddenly in front of me, his playful, flirty, expression turning intense, serious, all at once, that I choked on the puff of air, reeling over the sheer fond intensity that he was staring at me with. He brought our linked hands upward, pressing mine flat against his chest. I could feel his heart humming under my palm. Confusion tilted through me as well as a rush of excited nervousness.

"I'm lying. That isn't why I did it." His intense blue eyes blazed into mine, pinning me where I stood. His voice was soft yet held my attention so completely. "I keep thinking that you have to say it first, otherwise I'll run you off."

I stilled, my heart skipping a few beats. Run of me off…? His tongue darted out, drawing my gaze to it, as it swiped his lower lip nervously. Damon's hands pressed down on mine, pushing my hand tighter to his chest.

"It's stupid how terrified I am over the thought of ever losing you, sometimes I have nightmares where I couldn't bring you back to me." His gaze became almost helpless, clinging to me and it hurt. It hurt knowing he had to deal with those few minutes I had stayed dead. But… why was he telling me this...? "I feel like… There's a part of me just waiting for it to happen. For you to leave. For you to just—" he broke off suddenly, his gaze shifting away from mine. "So I want to just do everything I possibly can in hopes you'll want to stay. And when you found out about the Fae… Sometimes when you talk about him, you get this look on your face—they're everything you've ever wanted, you can be you, loved the way you wanted to be loved, and I-I know you'd be so much happier… Freer."

I stared at him, trying to get ahold of my thoughts, trying to figure out what had triggered this mood.

"It crossed my mind," I whispered shakily. "Only once. For a moment, I almost… I almost…" How was I supposed to explain this to him? "Regretted how much I liked you, regretted letting everyone in, because you and Jeremy are the ones keeping me here. I thought, I would miss you guys for a little while, but Fae dickery five-ever, being completely me with others like me…" I fumbled. "It had only been a passing thought, one that has never resurfaced, because I don't want to run off with the fairies! I want to run away with you!"

I moved closer to him, curling my fingers in his shirt, feeling a desperation urgency to make him understand. Damon's grim expression, which had me wanting to throw up, was melting away. I smacked his chest and he blinked, as if surprised. I just wanted him to snap out of this! Why did he have to get so deep and angsty on me for?

"You idiot. You stupid damaged vampire idiot." I growled as those blue eyes clung to me. He let me pound my fists into his chest, and I doubted that it even hurt him. "When all this is over, and Katherine is out, and Elena is safe, take me away! Let's run away! Let's just run far away, where nobody knows who we are! Let's invent new lives every single day, let's just dick around and be happy and cause terrible mischief and have sex in public and get in trouble with the law! Let's be stupidly reckless! Every day! Just you and me! That's all I want, Damon! You're all I want!"

The sheering adoring look that touched every inch of my face intimately made my knees buckle. Damon grabbed my shoulders, pulling me so close our chests nearly touched and I felt the world around me spin and fade away as he swept me up in his blue eyes. His body heat radiated around me, blanketing me in a haze of warmth. He looked almost feverish now, a renewed determination swimming in his affectionate, tender, gaze.

"I like you so damn much, Clary, more than I ever liked anyone before." He continued quickly, like he couldn't stop himself. "I liked you more than I loved Katherine and I just—you came in and it'll never… I can never go on from this."

I hated when he talked like this, it made me anxious. I wanted him to be okay always, no matter what. I wanted to know he'd be happy, even if something happened to me. His fingers tightened around my shoulders but I found that I could hardly care.

"I never thought I'd have fun laying on the floor staring at tacky plastic stars for three hours. Three hours in which you have me laughing! You're always doing that… Like it just isn't anything at all—I don't… Don't know how you do it. Time with you goes by like," he snapped his fingers. "Like that—and I think, oh God, I think… Could I really have this? Every day? For the rest of forever? Every day you would make fun, every day filled with stupid dickery. Every day we could be happy, so happy, that's all I want to do, I want to make you happy. I want to make you the happiest, because you make me the happiest. I've never felt this kind of happiness before, never."

He fell silent for a moment, slightly out of breath and my heart was stirring inside, dancing. He was saying everything I didn't realize I needed to hear. Damon smothered me with a soft look, gently taking my face in his hands, the pads of his thumbs slowly brushing across my cheeks. I was melting into his touch, his blurting confessions just rolling around in my head, my pulse leaping. His uncertain, hesitant, nervousness bled into his expression, blue eyes drifting across my face with such a burning tender fondness that I couldn't bring a single thought into my mind, didn't know what to say. He had never looked at me like this before, not so intensely. The way he looked at me warmed every inch of me, I almost couldn't keep eye contact with how passionate it was. He looked at me like—like… Like I was hope for a wrongly condemned man.

"You've had me from the beginning. You've had me since those damn napkins. I—goddamn it, Clarissa… I love you." An arm curled around my waist before my legs gave out, and he drew me to him. I couldn't even gasp as my heart sputtered nervously inside my chest. "I'm so in love with you," he breathed softly, my fingers curling in his shirt again, clinging to him. "Every time you open your mouth, I think I love you more and more and it just won't stop. The way you look at me, and smile at me, the way you—it's eating me up inside, you have to know. I can't… I love you and you love me too, I know you do. You've loved me since the beginning, I don't know how or why but you have. You love me like tomorrow doesn't exist, you love me like we'll never see each other again. You literally give me a piece of yourself whenever you kiss me! Say you love me! Tell me you love me! I need you to say it, Clary, I can't take it anymore!"

"I'm afraid!" I blurted out dizzily. "Oh God, Damon, I—I can't! I'm afraid! You overwhelm every inch of me, every part of me! I feel like I—I don't—and then I… I see you and my entire body reacts, it's like I haven't seen you in days and days and I miss everything about you! I feel like I come to life every time I see you! You consume me, I need you like I never needed anything before! And when you touch me…" I broke off, startled. I felt raw, everything I was feeling swirling around and around inside me. "Suddenly there is only you and I'm afraid."

"Don't be afraid, Clarissa," Damon murmured softly, my own name silk, tearing down the few walls and I had thrown up in a panic. He bent his head, brushing his mouth across my cheek, kissing me everywhere softly, calming the conflicting emotions. "It's okay. It'll always be okay."

He pulled me up by my thighs so my legs were around his waist and I wound my arms around his shoulders, burying my face in the crook of his neck, breathing him in. I just wanted to cling to him, even if I was freaked out by this topic. I just didn't understand why this had me running for the hills.

He gently dropped me onto his bed and I tightened my arms around his neck, keeping him hovering over me. I just wanted him close. Damon tilted his head, planting soft kisses down the length of my arm. It was almost surreal how sweet and gentle he was being with me, in his bed, under his starry ceiling. It was almost magical. I slid my fingers across the nape of his neck, gently taking his face in my hands, drawing his eyes back to mine. My heart pounded wildly as his blue eyes washed over me.

"I do," I whispered, nervously, my stomach in a fit of spasms and fear. "I love you, Damon." Oh, God! "I love you so much." Oh, God! Oh, God! Oh, God! I did love Damon and now there was just no stopping this!

His gaze lit up, a grin flying across his lips and my heart staggered inside my chest. Damon dipped his head, kissing me happily. Despite the rushing emotions twitching around, my lips sprang upward into a giddy grin as I kissed him back, feeling dizzy with happiness.

I just narrowly missed having a friggin' panic attack.

"Halloween might become my new favorite holiday," he murmured as he sat up, sitting just below my hips, a crooked grin on his lips, blue eyes dancing. I perched myself up on my elbows, watching as he easily unbuttoned my jeans and my heart jumped into my stomach.

This was it.

We were totally going to have wild sex.

"My body is ready," I assured him over my anxiety. This was what I've been waiting for. I couldn't chicken out after saying the Big L word!

"For the candy?" Damon wondered sarcastically, yanking my jeans down my legs.

"For The Vagina Destroyer," I told him seriously and he furrowed his eyebrows. "Your dick." I guess he forgot my nickname for Little Damon. He snorted.

"Mmhm. Too bad." He said carelessly, pulling me up into a sitting position and yanking my shirt over my head. I frowned as he tossed my clothes off the side of the bed and was suddenly across the room to the open dresser.

"But you're ripping my clothes off," what the hell did he mean too bad? "We're gonna have the sex."

"You're an idiot." Damon informed me, throwing a black shirt at me which hit me in the face. That wasn't very romantic. "You nearly cried over telling me something we both already knew. You're not getting dick."

I ripped the shirt off my face, finding him standing over me. "You said before we could fuck senselessly, we had to be in love." I reminded him as he leaned closer to me, his fingers sliding over my shoulders, his face inches from mine. An excited thrill pulsed through me at his touch. "Now it's established that we're stupid and lame as hell, so that means sex." With him leaning close to me like this, and his hands on me, I was having trouble thinking. "And you're taking my clothes off."

"You dolt," Damon was grinning, his tone affectionate. "You don't like sleeping in your day clothes, that's why I'm undressing you..." He unclasped my bra, his grin sliding into a haughty smirk as I shivered. "That, andI prefer you wearing nothing." With a flick of his wrist, the bra went flying.

Oh.

---

(ノ◕ヮ◕)ノ

---

I was suddenly not as confident as I was before, my nerves blazing in my stomach as his darkening blue eyes slid across me. The way he was staring at me, his fondness quickly turning into hunger, made me feel a little too hot and I tilted my gaze away, cheeks warming. Damon grabbed the back of my head, crushing his mouth to mine and I flung my arms around his neck causing him to stumble as he crawled on top of me. He kissed me deeply, passionately, as his searing hands hungrily roamed, sliding up my sides, a trail of goosebumps and heat following. A soft, needing, noise rose into my throat as the kiss grew more heated. As though sensing my sudden urgency for more, his tongue slid into my mouth, tangling with mine, throwing me deeper into the haze that clouded my thoughts.

My entire body flushed hotly with the way the soft fabric of his shirt rubbed against my bare skin, it was almost uncomfortable with how sensitive everything became at the slight touch. Moaning softly, I pulled at his shirt, desperately needing to feel his skin on mine. Damon growled, breaking the kiss as he pulled his shirt over his head and I took in every inch of skin exposed to me.

God, he was just so beautiful.

Greedily, I slid my gaze over his bare torso, my fingers following as I ran my hands over his shoulders and down his chest slowly, exploring. I wanted to imprint the feel of my fingertips on his skin the way he left his on mine. I wanted my hands to know every part of his body intimately. A soft hum of approval rumbled in his chest and he caught my hands, bringing them to his face, nuzzling into them.

"Take your necklace off," Damon's commanding, hungry, voice sent a shiver through me and I wordlessly unclasped it, tossing it off the side of the bed.

His mouth was on mine again, only the kiss was gentle and slow. He cradled my face in his hand, the pad of his thumb drawing circles on my skin as he curled an arm around me, drawing me closely to him. I was melting, sinking, into Damon, so swept up in the way his lips moved over mine sweetly that nothing but him existed. He surrounded me effortlessly and I wanted him to completely take over, I wanted it to just be him. I want him to wipe every single thought but him from my mind, wanted to forget every other feeling but his hands and mouth on me. The sensation of his bare chest against mine sent wave after wave of piercing heat through me, his fingers gliding over every inch of me, caressing slowly, softly. It was hurtling my body into overdrive.

His blue gaze scorched mine briefly before he dipped his head, his mouth meeting my neck, a jolt of pleasure echoing inside of me at the contact. I just felt so sensitive, so hyperaware of every part of him that seamlessly melted into me. Every touch sent miniature explosions throughout my body. My fingers slid through his soft dark hair, and I sighed happily as he planted small kisses down my throat. Hazy surprised fluttered through me as he continued moving his mouth sweetly across my flesh, my skin warming and tingling everywhere his lips met. Half of me wanted him to bite me, while the other half blissfully enjoyed the sweet simplicity of what he was doing. Damon brushed his lips slowly over my collarbone, each kiss lingering as though committing every inch of skin his mouth met to memory. Like he was mapping my body out with his lips.

While my thoughts were blanketed with a hazy warmth, there was something so adoring and chaste about his kisses that it just didn't burn all common sense from my mind. And into ashes all my lust. He kissed me everywhere. Down my collarbone, slowly moving across my shoulders. He even kissed the tips of my fingers. I captured his face between my hands, stroking his cheek affectionately as he nuzzled into my palm.

"One second you're consuming every inch of me, and I feel like I'm about to lose myself." I just felt so swept up in him, like Damon was the only thing that existed. "And then the next second you're romancing me."

His blue eyes brushed across my face tenderly and he traced the column of my neck with the tips of his fingers. Damon's lips curved into a smirk and my heart fluttered. "I want to take my time with you," he murmured in a thick voice, his fingertips gliding over my collarbone, goosebumps rising across my skin. "I want to love every part of your body, slowly, I want every part of you to be completely mine."

A shiver ran through me, my breath catching, as the pads of his fingers brushed down the valley between my breasts. My nerves were on fire and his gaze tangled with mine, those endlessly blue eyes of his washing over me, soothing down the nervousness that was surfacing.

"I've always been yours." Even before I knew that I was. "Maybe I hadn't been this way because I'd been slightly Fae, maybe I had just been waiting to find you." Even in this state of being breathlessly crazy for this vampire who had so easily stolen my heart, it was still a dumb thing to say. Yet it felt so true.

A gentle smile tilted across his face, blue eyes bright with a tender affection which made me so dizzy I felt like I couldn't think straight. "It's been hell waiting for you," he said in a soft, quiet, voice, caressing my cheek gently. "And every damn second of it has been worth it. Maybe I only fell in love with Katherine because I needed you, and the only way to have you was to live forever."

My stomach squirmed pleasantly. We were so dumb, and I was so giddy over everything he was saying. I drew his face to mine, kissing him. The chaste kiss was quickly becoming more heated and hungry and Damon pulled me flush against him, his jean clad hips grinding gently against mine causing my skin to heat feverishly as the haze of need swamped my thoughts. I locked my arms around his shoulders, my fingers digging into his back as he continued to push against me, hitting something sensitive with each roll of his hips. I moaned in frustration, desire coiling hotly in my stomach as I wrapped my legs around his waist.

It wasn't enough, I needed more!

Damon's hot palm glided up my waist, moving on top of my breast and I gasped in surprise as he squeezed, spearing me with a sharp jolt of searing need. His tongue slipped into my mouth, messily running over mine as he continued to palm and squeeze. I moaned helplessly, squirming under him as new senses assaulted my body, hurtling me into a heated, thoughtless, bliss. He broke the kiss and hungrily, messily, made his way down my jaw and throat, leaving a wet burning trail everywhere he kissed. I nearly couldn't take it, everything was spiraling into a heated need.

"Damon!" I choked on a gasp and moan as he took my other breast into his hot mouth, his searing, wet, tongue swirling and massaging while he kneaded with the other.

My cheeks were burning—everything was burning and I moaned, threading my fingers in his hair as every new touch and sensation struck me to the core, making me ache painfully. My pulse jerked as his mouth traveled down, every feather light brush of his lips grazing across my fevered flesh hurtled me deeper into this maddening haze of need, my heart begging for his touch. My nerves were a blaze of excited nervousness in my stomach, tangling with the coil of lust that bit at me. It was nearly agonizing how slowly he was moving, his mouth and hands touching every part of me sweetly.

My heart staggered in my chest, skipping a few beats, as he brushed his mouth over my pelvis bone, his index finger hooked at the top of my underwear. He tilted his head upward, his chin resting on my hip, blue eyes smoldering.

And then his lips quirked upward into a devastatingly attractive smirk. My heart flailed.

"I'm going to make you scream, Clarissa." His voice was pure velvet, purring through me with dark promises, causing my heartbeat to quicken. "I've been wanting to do this since the first time you were in my bed."

"Glad to know you fantasize about getting it on with a dead girl," I blurted out, my heart pounding loudly and he chuckled sending my hormones into overdrive as every thought fled my mind.

He was suddenly kneeling on the floor, fingers hot on my hips as he dragged me to the edge of the bed. I squeaked in surprise just as he inched my panties downward, blue eyes capturing mine, a dark, feral, smirk on his beautiful face. Trying to breath normally, I lifted my hips slightly, helping him wiggle my black Hello Kitty underwear off of me. I'm going to need grown up sexy underwear, was my second thought as he balled my panties up and tossed them carelessly over his shoulder. Yes, I was going to need lace and silk instead of bows and cartoon faces.

It won't matter if he's tearing them off with his teeth.

God help me.

"Relax, birdhouse," he murmured against my skin, his hot breath causing me to shiver, as he sweetly trailed his mouth across my inner thigh.

Oh God, was this really happening…? I couldn't catch a hold of a single thought, a haze taking over completely, moans building in my throat as I melted to the way his warm palm slid down my leg, hooking my knees over his shoulders. Nervousness exploded—what if he didn't like it? What if it tasted… You know, gross?

"You don't have—" I began only to choke on a staggered gasp, my entire body ignited as he kissed my folds.

It was an electric shock that jolted through me, leaving me reeling as this new sensation struck me. His fingers curled around my hips and he jerked me closer to him, his searing tongue thrusting into me, his skilled mouth leaving no doubt that he wanted this as he hungrily devoured me. My nerves were a jumbled mess as waves of jolting pleasure slammed into me, flooding every inch of me until I thought I couldn't take it anymore only to plunge me deeper. Heat broke across my fevered skin, soaking my cheeks as low, throaty, moans tore from my throat, rising in volume. I sank my fingers into his hair as each plunge of his tongue became deeper and hungrier, throwing me further and further into a hectic fit of agonizing pleasure.

Oh, God!

I squirmed, moaning and panting, arching my back, but Damon held my hips tightly, his tongue swirling and diving into me, his mouth moving hungrily. He was fucking devouring me! I abandoned his hair, my fingers twisting tightly in the sheets as I clawed and yanked, arching, my hips rolling into his mouth with searing desperation. Peeling my eyelids open, I stared hazily up at the twinkling stars, pants and moans that I hardly recognized as my own filling the room. I wasn't even sure what I was shouting, I just knew God, please and Damon were the most frequent words that were ripped from my throat with each scream and moan.

It was too much!

I wasn't going to survive this!

It was too much, he was driving me crazy—this burning pleasure was ripping me a part inside, I couldn't take it! But I needed it! Oh, God, how I needed it! I was nearly sobbing and then he—FUCK!

"DAMON!" I choked desperately, gasping, as his mouth shoved me further into this terrible pleasure.

His mouth moved quicker, his tongue throwing me into a fit, and I grasped his hair, my hips rolling into his mouth with a desperate urgency, the world spinning. His name fell out in a beg and then he threw me into a frenzy—everything erupting violently, shattering everything I had once known as a wave of crushing pleasure scattered within me.

Oh, God.

I had never felt anything close to that kind of pleasure and fell back onto the mattress, panting, my entire body pulsing warmly, beyond giddy and dazed. Damon's hungry gaze caught mine and I sucked in a breath as he smirked dangerously, fangs glinting, his expression haughty and smug. His tongue darted out, swiping his lips clean, in the most feral way possible and my body reacted immediately.

"You bastard." I slurred, dazed and filled with a warm bliss. I wasn't sure why I was insulting him, but how dare he? I wasn't sure what it was that warranted that thought, but I was sure I would think of something. "That was…"

"The single greatest moment of your life?" Damon growled smugly, eyes raking across my body slowly. "Oh, Clarissa, I'm not finished with you yet."

A shiver wrecked my body—what else could there possibly be…? The way he was looking at me had me feeling hot all over again. He stood, fingers undoing his belt, his gaze pinned on me, and my mouth fell open in surprise as he stepped out of his jeans and boxers. He was suddenly hovering over me and my heart bounced as he gently scooped me up. I wrapped my arms around his neck, his blue eyes spilling across my face, a tenderness seeping through the hunger. Gently, he placed me in the center of the bed, my head on the pillows, and shifted so he was hovering over me.

"You're still going to like me after, right?" I croaked, a strange fearful nervousness suddenly bleeding through the giddy haze and Damon bumped his forehead against mine affectionately.

"I'm going to love you six-ever." Damon murmured softly, his fingers sliding over my cheek as he took my face into his hands. His touch sent a pulse of pleasure through me, everything inside of me humming.

"Six-ever?" I whispered, my eyes fluttering shut as kissed the side of my mouth, his lips drifting across my skin slowly.

"Mmmhm, six-ever. I have to one up your five-ever." He grinned into my skin, amusement dancing in his soft voice. "I'm going to love you now, I'm going to love you after, I'm going to love you tomorrow and the next day and in fifty years I'll love you still. But in fifty years and a day you're going to have to fuck off."

I burst into laughter and Damon lifted his head, looking pleased with himself as he smirked down at me. He gently brushed a few strands of hair from my face and I nuzzled into his hand, happily threading my fingers through his.

"Are you still going to like me? Or are you going to fuck and chuck me? I know you've been wanting the D." He teased playfully causing my lips to spring upward. I gently tugged his head down, and he kissed me sweetly.

The opened mouth kiss never grew heated or rushed, staying slow and gentle, his tongue occasionally brushing against mine. I was quickly losing myself in his touch, my body lit as he shifted, one hand sliding down my thigh, pushing my leg upward as the other cradled my face as he kissed me. My heartbeat became slightly uneven as he shifted, and I moaned into his mouth when the tip of his dick glided over my still oversensitive clit. He guided himself hesitantly into me, slowly sliding deeper, and I broke the kiss with a gasp, a slight, uncomfortable, pain growing. I curled my fingers into his skin, burying my face into the crook of his neck and he released a low moan. He grasped my shoulder, pushing me flat against the bed, his hand sliding into mine, our fingers linking and I stared up at him through the painful haze as he hovered over me.

Damon looked at me with such adoring devotion that I wondered if I looked back at him the same way.

"I have to look at you," he breathed, sounding a little dazed, as he slowly slid himself out. "Don't look away, Clarissa." I gripped his shoulder with my other hand, fighting to keep my eyes open as he rocked gently into me, the pain and pleasure tangling.

"You're a jerk," I mumbled, fighting to think through my clouded thoughts, the pain ebbing away.

"Don't call me a jerk when I'm making love to you." Damon growled thickly, his pace slightly faster and I moaned, gripping his hand tighter.

"You've ruined so many lives, how can anyone ever want anyone else after you're finished with them?" I bit down on my lower lip, trying to keep the moans from overriding my words. Damon groaned, curling an arm around me and drawing me closer, his chest pressed against mine. My body reacted instantly to the touch, burning hotly, as pleasure began to heatedly twist through me.

"I don't care, oh God, Clary, I don't fucking care. There's nobody but you, I'm yours for fucking ever, and ever." Damon's words were soaked with a vowing reverence and before I could think of something to say, his mouth was on mine, kissing me hard.

He eagerly swallowed my moans which were growing louder and louder. I gasped as I found myself suddenly on top of him, my hands splayed across his chest. Damon grasped my hips, guiding my movements, pushing my hips into his, tearing a moan from me. I was still pulsing from before and every time my hips rolled, it hit something sensitive, throwing me into a frenzy of lust.

"D-Damon," I stumbled over his name, a plea in my voice. It was just too much. It felt painfully good and I couldn't stand it! "I—I can't… I… I—mmm!"

He slammed me into the bed, hovering over me. "Shit, I'm fucking trying to do this right," he groaned, his pace slowing and I moaned in pitiful frustration. "You make me lose all my control. You have no idea how badly I've wanted you, how badly I fucking need you. Oh, Clary, you're fucking beautiful." Words were pouring out his mouth, his voice a hiss, but I couldn't concentrate on them.

I needed him!

"Harder!" I begged in a pant. "Oh God, Damon, please!"

"Anything for you." Damon growled, his hips slamming into me. I threw my head back with a scream, my fingers dragging down his back. "Fuck, Clarissa!"

"Don't—don't stop!" I choked on a moan, tears of pain and pleasure springing to my eyes and he growled lowly, grabbing my hips and dragging me further down on the bed, hooking my legs on his shoulders. I arched into his thrusts, moaning his name.

"You're mine," he hissed, every thrust tearing a scream from my throat as he brutally threw me into a haze, each push slamming me deeper and deeper into a vicious, searing, lust. "Nobody is ever going to fucking do this to you."

"Yours," I vowed. "Oh God, oh God—D-Damon! I can't, I can't, I—Oh!" I tore at the sheets, my cheeks burning. It was going to kill me, this pleasure, I couldn't handle it!

"Fucking look at me when you cum!" Damon growled darkly, his voice sending a shock through me.

My eyes flew open, his blue gaze cutting into me hungrily, dark veins crawling across his face and my toes curled, his name ripping my throat apart as the second orgasm shattered violently through me. My entire body was ablaze of pleasure and Damon's thrusts became wild.

"Fuck, Clarissa, fuck! You're—God, you're so fucking beautiful. So fucking beautiful when I fuck you." His moans were tangling with mine, his hands running up my sides. His touch pulsed through me and I squirmed.

I wasn't sure how much more I could stand, especially with how sensitive everything was. I couldn't stop the screams from ripping from my throat either. He tugged me upward, so I was sitting in his lap, his mouth hungrily devouring mine as he bounced me. I moaned hopelessly into his mouth, almost choking on his tongue, my arms thrown around his shoulders as I tightly clung to him, his slick body gliding against mine. Damon feverishly deepened the kiss, tightly grasping my hips as I rode him. I dug my nails into his skin, panting as his mouth messily moved down my neck. His fangs broke my flesh as he bit down on my shoulder with a moan, and I choked on his name, panting heavily. Damon's throaty moan hummed in his throat as his frantic thrusts into me slowed, his arms curling around me, hugging me to him.

I never felt so exhausted in my life, putting all my weight against him as my body went lax. I rested my sweaty face against his damp shoulder as he gently kiss the spot he'd bitten into.

"Sorry," he murmured softly into my skin as my eyes fluttered shut. "I lost control. Shit, Clary, I'm sorry, I wanted to it to go differently."

"Shut up, perfect." I mumbled groggily. "So perfect." He kissed my temple, gently sliding out of me, sending a jolt of pain through me and I groaned. "You broke me!" I whined as he scooped me up in his arms, pulling me close as he settled down on the bed. "Oh God, you broke my vagina!" It painfully throbbed and ached. Sex was the worst!

"Don't be dramatic, princess." He shushed me playfully as I nestled into his arms, resting my face on his chest. I could hear his heart beating quickly under my ear.

"D?"

"Mmm?"

Despite the pain, I was just so content and happy in his arms. "Love you."

His fingers looped under my chin and he tilted my head upward, pressing his lips to mine. "Love you too, Clarissa." His thumb stroke my skin, blue eyes soft. "Love you always."

I smiled sleepily and nuzzled into him, letting my eyes fall shut. I just wanted to sleep forever.

"Clary?" His voice tugged me back into awareness and I made a soft noise. "Do you really want me to take you away?"

"Mmhm." I nodded groggily, sighing happily as his fingers slid through my hair.

---

(ノ◕ヮ◕)ノ

---

Light bled through my closed eyelids, stirring me into awareness and I blearily peeled open my eyes, blinking sleepily. Damon's sleeping face was inches from mine causing my lips to tilt upward as a rush of affection grew warmly in my stomach. Last night crept through my thoughts—Jesus Christ, was I really making those sounds?

I wiggled closer to Damon, amused as his arms tightened around me, and planted a kiss on his mouth. He made a soft noise and I suddenly found myself pressed flush against him, his half lidded blue eyes peering down at me. He smirked.

"Good morning." I grinned, feeling almost giddy. While I might've woken up in his arms plenty of times, there was just something different about it today.

"Do you have any idea what I plan to do with you all day?" Damon's sleepy voice was thick, his thumb drawing circles on my bare shoulder.

Nate's face suddenly popped up from Damon's other side and I gaped at him in a state of shock, not sure if I was actually seeing him. Damon furrowed his eyebrows.

"Get lots of candy?" Nate wondered curiously, resting his chin on Damon's shoulder who immediately went still.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Damon snapped, sitting up, blocking me from view. I leaned against him, peeking at Nate who was lazily lounging on the bed, looking comfortable.

"You called me, remember?" Nate said with a shrug of his shoulders, stretching his arms out as Damon growled lowly. "This is a really comfortable bed." Nate seemed suddenly distracted, running his hands over the comforter as though he were a shopper, debating on buying the set.

"I called you like a week ago," I pointed out, a little offended that it took him this long to show up. What if it had been an emergency?

Nate grinned merrily. "I was busy."

How dare he be busy! Rude! "Doing what? Pulling fire alarms?" I demanded and Nate winked.

"Get out," Damon hissed and Nate perched himself up on his elbows, a pouty frown tugging on his lips, looking deeply wounded.

"Aw, don't be like that, Damie." Nate chimed sweetly, wagging his finger at Damon playfully causing my vampire to snarl. He snatched Nate's brandished finger, tugging angrily. "I assumed after having your dirty vampire way with my little Fledgling you'd be in a pleasant mood!"

Oh God, why was this happening? My cheeks flushed hotly.

"Get out of my house!" Damon snapped angrily, pointing to the door. "The only Fae allowed here is Clarissa! Get out."

Nate's eyes widened comically. "No, Damie!" He cried as the bedroom door burst open violently. His head whipped around, staring at it, before turning to look at us with wide, horrified, eyes. "No, Damie, no! Take it back! Take it back!" An invisible forced grabbed him by the foot, ripping him from the bed. Nate shrieked, grabbing the sheets desperately, only to tear them from the bed as he was hauled across the floor, backwards, on his stomach, like something out of a horror movie. "Nooooooooooo Daaaaaaammmmiiiieeeeee!"

Oh my God.

His shrieks echoed throughout the hall as he was dragged away and I wasn't sure if I should laugh or not. I knew what it was like to be ejected from a house. It was probably one of the worst experiences ever. Yet at the same time, that had to be the funniest thing I had ever seen.

Damon, in all his naked glory, flitted to his bedroom door, slamming it shut and I had decided this was the perfect time to realize I was completely nude and be completely embarrassed about it.

"Oh my God!" I cried, gaping down at myself. I drew my knees to my chest, blushing furiously. "Don't look!" Damon scoffed, turning around and I sputtered, my cheeks growing warmer as I found myself unable to draw my gaze away. Oh. "I know guys get morning wood, but do vampires get morning fang?" It came blurting out, in a fit of nervousness, and I realized that I couldn't stop staring.

But I didn't have to stop if I didn't want to, that was mine.

Damon was suddenly in front of me, smirking smugly, as he easily dragged me across the bed until I was sitting at the edge. He drummed his fingers on my knees, his smirk growing. "Might as well get used to being naked," he purred, my heartbeat quickening. "You're never allowed to wear clothes again. We're going to be nudists, starting now."

His head lowered, his mouth inches from mine, when there was a knock on the door. "Are you guys… Uh," Stefan's muffled voice called from the other side causing Damon to groan. "Decent?"

Damon effortlessly pulled me from the bed, a shirt shoved over my head and I flailed, finding myself in a pair of boxers. I gaped down on my now clothed body, glancing for Damon who appeared by the door, in pajamas bottoms. So much for the nudist plan. The fact that he had dressed me under two seconds was kind of impressive, though.

"Heeeello, brother," Damon greeted cheerfully, flinging the door open and Stefan clamped a hand over his eyes. "What can I help you with?"

"Oh good, you guys aren't naked anymore!" Nate stepped out from behind Stefan, springing into the room causing Damon to scowl, blue eyes watching him while I found myself smiling happily. Stefan slowly dropped his hand from his face. "I was feeling really left out."

"You invited him inside?" Damon frowned, accusing eyes turning back to Stefan who furrowed his eyebrows. "That puffball isn't welcomed here!"

"Meet my father, Steffy!" I chimed, throwing my hands out as though presenting Nate who struck a superhero pose.

"Hello, Rippy!"

Stefan held up a hand, shaking his head. "I don't want to know. I really don't want to know." He muttered, turning away. He paused, awkwardly staring at us. "Also, next time you decide to… practice screaming in the middle of the night… Let me know so I can leave."

I buried my hot face in my hands. Oh my God. I totally forgot that Stefan had vampire hearing. This was literally the worst.

"…No problem, lil bro." Damon actually sounded awkward himself and slammed the door. I lifted my face from my hands and he caught my gaze, grinning. "He'll get over it." I doubted it, he was scarred for life. His blue eyes flashed to Nate who was rolling on his heels, glancing around the room curiously. "Do you know how weird it is to just show up in bed with us? That's crossing boundaries that I'm extremely uncomfortable with. Clary is your… freaky fairy offspring." I wasn't freaky. "Parents don't hang around their naked kids!"

"Who cares, tell me about this game!" Nate demanded childishly, hazel eyes glowing brightly as he teetered, leaning closer to me. A mischievous grin flew across my lips, excitement burning hotly in my stomach, and Nate bounced up and down excitedly. "Oh! Oh! Tell me everything, Fledgling!"

---

It took very little coaxing to get Clarissa to take a bath with him once her damnable puffball fairy left in a flurry of mischievous excitement. Their plan was being set into motion and he didn't have to get flack for killing anyone innocent from Stefan. It was going to be a win-win all around. But they had time before then, and Damon was going to spend all of it being naked with Clarissa.

Damon didn't give a damn about the future anymore, he wanted to spend every second lazily enjoying Clarissa's company, wanted to relish in this hazy wonderful feeling that surrounded them. Damon could clearly see how the rest of eternity was going to pan out, they would be spending it together, laughing and getting into whatever trouble Clarissa could think up.

Whatever she wanted to do, wherever she wanted to go, Damon would make it happen. He didn't think she'd ever fully realize just what she had given him nor what she returned to him. He could be ageless, he could feel so human. He could have a damn bubble bath and make a fucking beard out of bubbles. And Clarissa lit up, put on a mock serious face, and make her own bubble beard.

They were such idiots.

But it was these damn little moments that made him love her so much.

There was no pressure, no expectations and most of all being with Clarissa felt like the only normal thing in his life. He didn't have to fight the world to have this piece of happiness. It was theirs, it was meant for them.

Damon rested his cheek on the top of her head lazily, his arms draped over her shoulders. Clarissa's back was pressed against his chest, hair tied up in a loose bun, her fingertips running across his arms absentmindedly as she chirped on and on about something or other involving Halloween. He wasn't particularly paying attention to her words, she was prattling on about nonsense.

There were a thousand different things he could do to her in this bathtub, and a thousand more that he had fantasized about. But Damon was simply content with just sitting here, Clarissa fitting to him so comfortably, perfectly. He liked hearing the sound of her sweet chiming voice, liked the way her skin felt against his, loved hearing her heart twirling happily to his soft caresses. He could happily sit in this bathtub forever with her.

"When we leave for our adventure, where do you want to go first?" Damon had waited for her to pause in her rant. He might've been a little giddy over the idea of running away with her.

"The city." Clarissa's reply was instant and Damon would've rolled his eyes (they could go anywhere in the world) if it wasn't for the quiet longing that clung to her words. He dipped his head, brushing his open mouth across her shoulder, his tongue gliding over her damp flesh, tasting her. Clarissa released a soft sigh, leaning her head back, as he nuzzled into her skin. "I miss it." She murmured softly, raising her hand to his face, stroking his cheek. "I miss everything about it. I miss the constant noise and the way it smelled and the lights and even the subway shaking the ground under my feet. I don't like it here."

He leaned into her touch, kissing her palm. "Then we'll live there for a while," he assured her quietly and Clarissa shifted so she could look up at him, an adoring smile sprinting across her pretty face. His heartbeat picked up unevenly.

"Why are you so quick to give me everything I want?" She wondered curiously and Damon rolled his eyes at her.

Because she made him so happy, he needed to make her happy. And if living in New York for a while would make her smile, he was going to fucking do that. "Because I want the sex," he deadpanned instead, pressing his hand flat on her head and shoving her backwards. Clarissa yelped, flailing, as he dunked her under the bathwater.

She resurfaced, sputtering, throwing him a mock offended look while her blue-gray eyes gleamed with amusement. "You dick, now I'm going to have to do my hair!" He merely smirked at her, pleased as her heart skipped a few beats. "You vampire fuckers better have a hairdryer, my hair gets curly and annoying if I don't fix it up right away." She trailed off, tugging her soaked dark hair out of the hair tie, a thoughtful look crossing her face. "…I bet Stefan has one, he seems to care about his hair."

"It's his hero hair." Damon agreed distractedly as she stumbled out of the bathtub, his gaze slowly raking down her soap suds covered body.

His fangs pulsed with growing hunger as he couldn't help but remember how every inch of her tasted and felt under his lips, remembering the noises he could drag out of her at the brush of his fingers. He craved to touch her, missing her body against his already. There had only been one other time in Damon's life that the body of a woman had left him breathless and nervous. But Clarissa made him nervous in a completely different way, and he figured it really didn't matter if she continued to throw him in a state of awe because she reacted the same way about him. There was something indescribably attractive about Clarissa, her beauty was incomparable.

And he couldn't keep his eyes off her, his head turning to follow her as she fluttered out of the room. "You're getting soap and water all over my beautiful floors," he whined, trying to shake his head clear.

"These are my floors now," Clarissa cheerfully informed him, somewhere in his bedroom. "Like your penis, I own everything of yours."

Goddamn it. Damon knew he was whipped. He was so whipped that he didn't even seem to mind being whipped, but that didn't mean he wanted Clarissa to know that. He knitted his eyebrows together, sulking against the rim of the bathtub as he quietly pouted to himself. His little birdhouse could have anything she damn well wanted and she fucking knew it.

This was clearly dangerous.

"I wish I had clothes here," he heard her grumble, listening as she rummaged through his drawers. Damon's mouth quirked upward, knowing exactly how to turn this around on her so he regained the upper hand.

"If you're going to act like we're married, maybe we should just get married." Damon called back to her in a sing-song voice. As predicted, her heart skipped a few beats and he heard her smack into something, hissing in pain. Snorting, Damon nestled comfortably against the rim of the tub, amused with himself. "No, Damon, don't talk like that!" He mocked in a high pitched voice, popping a bubble. "We haven't even been dating a whole month and I'm terrified of commitment and had to be bullied into confessing my eternal love for you because I suck!"

"Listen here, pumpkin," she mocked back in a deep voice. "I plan to spend six-ever with you, which means we're basically already married. We're going to spend each and every day fucking like rabbits!"

Damon saw nothing wrong with that, especially since he was deadest on making that reality. He was already planning on fucking her on every piece of furniture in this damn boarding house.

"You know where we have to have the sex?" Lord help him, somehow he always ended up copying her spastic vocabulary, no matter how dumb it made him sound. "The Great Wall of China."

"Oh my God, we have to!" Clarissa gushed, her bare feet padding on his hardwood floors as she began going through what sounded like his closet. The hell was she looking for? He wanted her back in his line of sight and naked. "I've always wanted to push someone off the Great Wall of China…" Of course she'd want to do that. "But I like your idea better. We should do it on every monumental land mark and then send post cards to everyone. Just banged here, xoxo."

Damon snorted, now that was something he could look forward to. The very second Katherine was out of the tomb he was going to have a difficult time resisting grabbing Clarissa and running off with her. He wondered how difficult it would be to convince her that Stefan could handle the whole Doppelganger-Klaus-Elijah nonsense and just leave with him. Who needed this kind of drama when they could be three thousand miles up in the air, screwing in the airplane bathroom? He deserved to be in the Mile High Club, damn it!

Music suddenly poured through the rooms, echoing slightly off the walls and Damon furrowed his eyebrows. Was that… Was she playing Harry Belafonte's Jump in the Line…? What the hell…? She must've found his CD collection. He clearly couldn't leave her alone for five seconds without her getting distracted. Damon was about to leave his nice warm bath and haul her back into the tub with him when Clarissa came flouncing back into the room, wearing one of his extremely nice button up dress shirts (brat knew it was designer brand and didn't care she was getting the nice material wet). It fell a to her knees, the sleeves hanging limply about three inches past where her hands were. She looked ridiculous as she danced to the beat of the song, mouthing the lyrics, seeming to have a grand old time by herself. She shook her hips, swaying about, arms flailing, causing the sleeves to flap about.

Lord help him, this was who he was going to spend eternity with.

"You think I'm sexy," Clarissa chimed happily, wiggling her hand out of the sleeve, revealing a hairdryer. The hell…? "Oh, I found this in your closet. I figured there would be lady things laying around, girls like to mark their territory like that. Good for me, now I have all their stuff and your dick."

At least she wasn't calling it Little Damon anymore. Resting his chin on the rim of the tub, he smirked crookedly at her. "Come here, birdhouse," he demanded lazily as she plugged in the hairdryer. She glanced at him from over her shoulder, those mischievous eyes of hers making his stomach turn giddily.

"Nah-uh. You'll drag me into the bathtub," she said with a huff, completely calling it. "That era of my life is over, it's time to be dry."

Damon was behind her before he even thought about moving, grabbing her by the waist and spinning her around. Clarissa released a shriek of surprise as he used her body to dry his soap suds covered one. She broke into laughter, her hands splayed across his wet chest, though she made no real attempt to push him away.

"I'm not a towel, D!" She cried, grinning widely. He didn't know what she was complaining about, it wasn't like it was her shirt they were ruining. Her hands skated up his chest, hooking around his neck. "You need to stop making me all wet." Her tone inched toward suggestive as she gazed up at him, gray-blue eyes bright with desire and suddenly Damon was in a completely different mood, his playfulness instantly springing into hunger.

Damon smirked, easily picking her up and placing her gently on the skin, his hands sliding up her thighs. He was going to give her exactly what she wanted.

---

I was pretty sure Jenna was the only person I had ever met who loved Halloween way more than I did. Half the reason I (was allowed to) spend the weekend at Damon's was because she didn't want my "fairy mischievous ass" to mess anything up. As if I would. The entire Gilbert house was decked out in the spirit of Halloween; a fake graveyard in the front yard, spooky skeletons and other figures creeping about, fake cobwebs, a fog machine even! To be obnoxious, I rang the doorbell.

Even though we'd gotten these costumes a week ago, I still couldn't get over the fact that Damon had been the one to suggest them. It was clear that Damon was a bit more of a romantic softie of vampire goodness then I ever realized, but this was above and beyond anything I could have ever expected. Somehow we'd become that couple who did everything together and bought everything in pairs. Fucking gross as hell. We were friggin' Morticia and Gomez Addams.

Though, I couldn't deny that Damon somehow pulled off looking like a stud wearing a two-piece grey and white striped suit, his sex appeal making even the bowtie look good on him. I wasn't sure how he did it. (It was a friggin' vampire thing). I easily pulled off Morticia's look, the black dress flattering. …But mostly I was having fun flapping my sleeves about. Poe topped off our look, perching on Damon's shoulder. He let me put a little top hat on top of his head.

The door swung open to reveal a beaming Jenna who was dressed like a very realistic Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas, her skin was a blue-ish tint, stitches drawn on in an almost pretty kind of way and the tattered multi-colored and patched dress adorable on her. But most importantly, she had a bowl of assorted candy in her hands.

"These are for the children," Jenna said, slapping my hand down as she opened the door wider to let us in, and I pouted. Rude. Damon curled his arm around my back, leading me into the highly decorated house, The Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack playing softly in the background, the house smelling like pie.

Mmm.

"I can't believe you dressed the bird," Jenna said, closing the door as I glanced around.

Jenna had really gone all out, and I suspected she had Stefan use his vampire powers to help deck the inside of the house out. I mean, there was a friggin' skull chandelier with fake cobwebs and bats hanging from the ceiling. Apparently Jenna was throwing a party for the adults of Mystic Falls, something she had done every year before Scumfucker ran her off.

Poe squawked, flapping down to the ground, and hopped into the kitchen. Probably get some of that delicious pie. I feel you, Poe. I feel you.

"Of all the things I thought you two would be dressed as, this had never crossed my mind ," Jenna continued in amusement, raising her eyebrows slightly.

"We're so Morticia and Gomez it's disgusting," Damon said dismissively, and with a flick of his wrist he had me twirling toward him, dipping me lowly to the ground. He smirked as I released a breathless laugh, his blue eyes locking with mine as he passionately kissed up the length of my arm. My heart stumbled in my chest, my grin turning a little giddy.

Stupid.

"Okay so maybe that's a little cute," Jenna allowed, swatting us with an unopened bag of snickers. I stared at it longingly. "But save it for Valentine's Day, this is Halloween!"

Damon set me straight just as the doorbell rang again and Jenna brightened, looking more like a kid on Christmas morning than anything else. I watched as she skipped past us and threw the door open dramatically, a chorus of trick-or-treat's chiming happily.

Lucky little jerks getting my candy.

"Don't worry, hummingbird, you'll be getting your fix soon enough," Damon drawled lazily, offering his arm with a cheesy smirk. Why'd he have to say it like I had a problem with sugar? "Let's fetch the others."

I huffed but looped my arm through his.

Without knocking, I pranced into Jeremy's room, finding both he and Stefan sitting on his bed, in costumes that looked like characters from one of the video games they played, while playing video games.

"Dude," Jeremy shook his head upon seeing us. "Whipped."

"You two are cute, dressing to match," Damon shot back sarcastically but I had a feeling he was pouting on the inside. "What an adorable couple you make."

"He's so jealous," Stefan noted, not looking away from the screen, he and Jeremy tapping fists. "I guess I owe you twenty bucks, I really thought he'd come as a kitty cat." Damon growled lowly.

Like, what the hell? Where did this Salvatore-Jeremy bromance friggin' come from? It's like they all went to the mall together, did unspeakable things nobody would tell me about, and have bonded for life!

"Is there another costume?" I wondered, turning to look at Damon who rolled his eyes. "You can dress up like them. I wouldn't mind." I would actually prefer it.

Oh God, how I would prefer it.

Damon turned his head, blue eyes squinting down at me. "You're not getting out of this," he said flatly. "We're being disgustingly romantic now, and nothing can stop this."

"I actually got you one before I knew you were dressing to match Clare." Jeremy cut in and Damon's expression flickered while I wondered where the hell he was getting this money from. Shit, maybe he had been dealing. "It comes with a giant Spartan Laser."

I had no idea what that meant. Damon glanced over to Stefan and Jeremy (like how I stared at the candy) before his blue eyes tilted back to me. I fought the amused grin that threatened to spill across my face.

"We can always dress to match with our other costumes later for the Haunted House party," I said, in hopes of helping him make the right decision. The other costumes had been a last minute thing, made by me. Cause like hell I'd go to a party dressed like this when I could be Arkham Asylum nurse Harley Quinn!

Jenna just could never know about it. I don't think she'd let me out in public if she did.

Damon squinted his eyes, clearly torn between wanting to tell me to screw off and dress to match Jeremy and Stefan, and pretending to want to stay dressed like a sexy idiot out of principal. Like being that gross couple meant something more than just being stupidly romantic.

"We're totally dressing to match at the party," he said threateningly, pointing at me, his eyes narrowed.

"If you want," I shrugged a shoulder, totally going back on what I had promised. "I mean, it wouldn't be a big deal if you wanted to stay dressed like… Gears of War guys."

"Spartans from Halo," Stefan corrected, but I was close. That was basically the same game.

"Stop being anti-love, Clarissa," Damon chastised teasingly, capturing my chin between his fingers and kissing me quickly. He then shoved me from Jeremy's room. "I can't trust that you won't jump me when I'm changing." He stated seriously.

And then slammed the door in my face.

I had come to the conclusion that boys were really weird.

"Damon, dressed as the Gomez to your Morticia?" Elena said after a moment as I bounced up and down on her bed while she continued to curl her hair. "Should've gotten a picture."

She and I agreed it would be best to change, as I hadn't really want to be Morticia if Damon wasn't Gomez anymore. I ended up borrowing a costume she had from a few years ago, which was, surprise surprise, a fairy.

I was looking so much more cute now, in a blue-green dress that flared out around the skirt, almost like a tutu, with transparent, sparkly, wings attached. I even had a glittery wand to smack people with.

While my dress was short and puffy, Elena's, which was a pale blue, was long and very Disney Princess-esque looking. Though if that's what she was aiming for, I wasn't sure which Princess she was dressed as. Maybe Cinderella?

I think the greatest lost today was what Stefan was originally going as before Jeremy and his video game costumes happened. Apparently she had talked him into going as Edward Cullen, wearing sparkly glitter and all. Which sucked, that would've been hilarious.

"Who are you going out as?" I finally decided to just friggin' ask.

"As far as everyone else is concerned, I'm just a princess." She set the curler down, turning to face me, dark eyes gleaming mischievously. I immediately stopped bouncing, staring back at her curiously. "But I'm actually going as Katherine."

Oh.

My.

God.

I absolutely loved this side of Elena.

The door burst open and in stumbled three costumed idiots, all wearing red (it had to be red) Halo armor. Despite having helmets on, I could tell who was who. Jeremy was the tallest (weird, right?), then Stefan, then Damon.

"Are you guys ready yet?" Jeremy demanded in a whine.

"You changed?" Damon sounded offended, and I was sure he was making a face at me. I grinned back at him.

Pfft.

"I'm cuter like this," I said happily, bouncing off the bed, spreading my arms out as I did a little twirl.

"Great, we have a fairy and a princess," Jeremy grumbled. "You guys are really going to fit in with us."

"She's not a princess, J." I stated gleefully, vastly amused as Damon did a double take. I was pretty sure both he and Stefan knew who Elena was dressed as.

"I'm the Queen of the Damned." Elena joked and I bounced over to her.

"Oh my God," Stefan groaned. "You're not."

"She is." Damon said flatly.

"What? She's what?" Jeremy demanded, confused.

"Katherine." Stefan, Damon and I said simultaneously, our tones vastly different. Jeremy broke out laughing while Elena grinned proudly.

"Nice, Laney!"

"Wouldn't you say I have the face to dress like her?" Elena teased and Damon raised the massive, plastic, toy gun, pointing it at her and making a firing sound. Elena rolled her eyes.

"Okay! Trick-or-treating time!" I cheered, snatching the pillowcases off the bed. Apparently that's how we rolled in Mystic Falls, used pillowcases to fill with candy.

I wasn't gonna complain, I was pretty sure I'd get more candy this way. And then beat people with them to get more candy. Endless candy, all for me.

Damon flitted in front of me, throwing me over his shoulder like I was a duffle bag. "The spoils of war!" He cackled as I kicked my legs, my cheeks heating.

"Put me down!"

"You're just unhappy 'cause he's wearing red," Jeremy said as Damon marched out of the room. I glowered at him even if I couldn't see his face. That wasn't true!

Jenna pranced out of the kitchen when we reached the bottom steps, with Poe hopping after her, as Damon gracefully set me on my feet. She opened her mouth only to pause, her gaze flickering between Damon and I. "You two changed already?"

"It's Halloween, not gross-couple-ween." I reminded her though secretly I thought Alaric would look good dressed as Jack to match her. "Plus I look super cute as a fairy."

"Keep telling yourself that," Stefan sassed behind me and I ripped Jeremy's gun from his hands, smacking the vampire with it.

"Everybody into the kitchen, we have to take a few pictures," Jenna announced gleefully, ushering us into the next room, a frightening grin on her face.

Jeremy, Damon and Stefan struck 'Halo' poses behind us with their guns out while Elena and I stood on either side of Jenna, Poe on my shoulder. Then Jenna insisted one of just the family without Stefan or Damon (or Poe), then one of just "us girls", then one of "the boys" in which they did dumb poses again. And then just one of Poe (who Jenna seemed to have begun to take a liking to). We had Poe pose adorably next to the pie, with his little hat on. Before we left, Jenna reminded us to convince Alaric to come to her party.

---

Elena and I walked arm-in-arm down the street, a few kids running past us dressed as various monsters, laughing and giggling as they raced to the next house. Damon, Stefan and Jeremy were a few feet behind us, reenacted their last game or something. I might've been a little bit in love with this time of the year, the trees on fire with orange and red, leaves scattered across the street. I didn't even mind the crisp chilly air.

The one upside about living in Mystic Falls was how beautiful it was here during the fall.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, especially now," Elena sighed and we turned our heads, glancing at Damon and Stefan who were smacking each other with the guns as Jeremy doubled over, arm around his gut, laughing hysterically. "But maybe Damon isn't so bad. That's really romantic." Her dark eyes met mine, a tiny smile on her face. "And out of all the guys out there, I'm glad it's Damon you picked. Your first time should be special like that. I'm glad he's going the extra mile for you."

"But you guys haven't…?" I trailed off and Elena's cheeks grew warm, eyes tilting away shyly as she shook her head.

"Oh, no, not yet," she murmured, playing with one of her bouncy tresses. Her sheepish expression melted into a mock serious one. "He has to earn it."

We grinned in amusement at each other.

"Uh, hey," Jeremy cut into our sisterly bonding and we turned to face him as he dropped his phone into his pillowcase. He tugged his helmet off, his hair sticking to his forehead. "I'm gonna bail, I promised Anna I'd go trick-or-treating with her. She's never done it before…"

Aw!

"I'd like to meet your girlfriend, Jer," Elena said excitedly while Damon whacked Jeremy on the back causing him to stumble forward. Stefan easily caught him by the arm, hauling him upward.

"Getting some, huh? Great job." Damon was clearly smirking and Elena made a noise of disgust.

"We're not dating," Jeremy huffed, rolling his eyes. "We're barely even friends."

Uh-huh.

"Then you shouldn't be embarrassed to introduce us," Stefan said playfully, as Damon slung an arm around Jeremy's shoulders. "We'll be on our best behavior." Somehow, Stefan made that sound really sinister.

"They can woo her into our friendship circle by sensually discarding their armor in a Salvatore Package strip show," I was just vastly amused now, easily picturing it. I should've brought the camera.

Elena began making some kind of techno beat with her mouth and Damon threw his arms up, pelvic thrusting dramatically which looked hilarious with him wearing the Halo armor. He danced around Jeremy in a circle to Elena's beat (who was struggling with not laughing), hips thrusting, arms swaying while Stefan began to moonwalk, doing the friggin' robot.

Oh my God. I was just so done with vampires.

"Dude," Jeremy was fighting the amusement as he pushed Damon away from him, shaking his head. "It's not happening. I'll see you guys later."

The four of us stood silently, watching Jeremy walk off.

"They grow up so fast." Damon broke the silence, sounding tearful, and Elena lost it, bursting into laughter.

---

Elena tried to keep in mind that this was the same guy who had murdered innocent people just because he wanted to harass his younger brother. This was the same guy who thoughtless, selfishly, irresponsibly took her sister to New York City in the middle of the night just because he could, who encouraged her sister's impulsive decisions and let her get a tattoo. He had even killed her sister. More than once. These actions were unforgivable, and Elena wasn't supposed to like him.

But then Damon suddenly was a different kind of person. No matter what kind of insults Elena had hurtled at him, Damon had patiently took them in stride, and continued to respect her. He even respected Jenna's rules (for the most part), and had been one of the reasons their family was on track to becoming okay again. She had thought his friendship with Jeremy had been a ruse, but it was obvious that Damon genuinely cared about her little brother. He and Stefan were friends with him and that warmed Elena's heart more than she ever thought it could.

And most of all, Damon loved Clare, treated her with respect and very openly cherished her. It was difficult to hate on someone who made Clare so happy, who respected her family, who was making Stefan happy… And who also had the infuriating ability to make her laugh, especially when she was supposed to be mad at him. Damon was a vampire who didn't think twice about leaving his humanity in the dust, but he was also an okay guy, and Elena felt confused by these conflicting emotions rising inside her. She knew she couldn't live in a black or white world, or even in shades of grey. She had to live in color where nothing made sense and normalcy didn't exist anymore. She just didn't understand how Damon could go about being a monster to turning around and being someone she could potentially be friends with.

Stefan's fingers slid through hers, stirring her from her thoughts, and Elena turned to smile softly at him. His helmet was off and he offered a small grin which melted her insides. They'd been trick-or-treating for two hours now, and Elena was losing the energy for it while Damon and Clare seemed to be gaining energy. They were like children on a constant sugar high, bouncing around and racing each other to the next house. Elena wasn't really sure how they even found each other. She never pictured her twin ever entering a relationship, never mind with a reformed murderer who happened to be able to keep up with her and was just as spastic.

They were currently in front of Caroline's house who had emptied the entire bag of candy into Clare's pillowcase. Because that's what Clare really needed. Elena made a mental note to drag her twin to the dentist, just to make sure Clare wasn't getting any cavities with the immense amount of sugar she was going to consume after today.

"Woohoo, perks of being best friends!" Clare gushed excitedly, prancing over to Stefan and stuffing her pillowcase into his hands.

He became the unofficial pack-mule for all the things Clare didn't want to hold. Elena had offered to hold the pillowcase, knowing how unfair and bratty her sister could be. But Stefan refuse with a grin and Elena might've been secretly pleased he could handle her twin. The two might've shot insults at one another, but it was clear that they were friends. It was all Elena could ask for.

"I'm taking a percentage of your candy as compensation." Stefan informed Clare, green eyes teasing despite his sarcastic, deadpan, tone. Clare gasped, her eyes rounding comically, looking mortally offended, and Elena raised her eyebrows.

"You have two pillowcases full, Clare," she reminded, pointing toward Damon's, who Elena knew would end up giving his over to her in the end.

"Why is everything of mine suddenly Clary's?" Damon huffed as if insulted and Caroline snorted.

"That's how relationships are, get over it. Clare's got the vagina, she owns everything." Caroline said with a roll of her eyes, leaning against the door. Typical Caroline. "You guys are still coming over before the party, right?"

"Yep!" Clare said happily while Elena nodded in confirmation. They weren't about to break tradition now.

"Great. I'm gonna hop in the shower, see you guys soon!" Caroline grinned, she and Clare hugging. "Better see you two at the party too!" She pointed threateningly at Stefan and Damon. With a wave to Elena, Caroline closed her door, and Clare skipped around Elena and Stefan excitedly.

"Where to now, princess?" Damon caught Clare's hand, dramatically twirling her to him, her fairy dress flaring out adorably. Clare was leaning against Damon's chest, fingers spread out on the front of his armor, a sweet smile on her gaze as she gazed up at him affectionately.

Stefan and Elena shifted awkwardly, glancing at each other. It seemed that Damon and Clare needed a constant reminder that they weren't alone.

Clearing his throat awkward, Stefan tugged Elena closer to the other couple. "Maybe we should head back? Doesn't that party start when it's dark? You two still need to get ready for it."

"Ooooh, I love parties!" A new, sweet, voice chimed happily and Elena jumped, her heart skipping, upon realizing a sandy haired boy was standing next to her suddenly. He winked at her playfully. "Hello, Doppely!" She stumbled backwards, her hand tightening on Stefan's who stepped in front of her, protectively.

Doppely…?

Did he know about her…?

"Nate!" Clare smiled brightly as Damon released a low growl.

Nate?

Wasn't he that… That Fae? But he looked so human. Elena frowned, staring at him, feeling like she recognized his private school uniform, which was a blue jacket with a tie, black slacks, and an emblem with the initials O and R. Nate pranced to Clare, throwing his arms around her neck and jumping into her arms. Elena and Stefan blinked in confusion at the suddenly affection, watching as Clare swayed dangerously.

"You jerk!" Clare shrieked unhappily as the two tumbled to the ground. Nate released a bell like laugh, nuzzling his face into hers.

This was weird.

"I'm Honey Senpai!" Nate exclaimed in a chiming voice as Damon angrily hauled him off of Clare. "Don't I look cute?"

"Honey?" Elena furrowed her eyebrows. She'd heard that name before! "From that… that anime?" Clare and Jeremy had been obsessed with that show for a good three months.

"Uh-huh! From Ouran Host Club!" Nate's voice was sweet and whimsical. He smiled adorably at Elena who stared back at him, stunned that the Fae had taken the time to watch anime.

"Maybe we should make our escape now." Stefan said quietly in her ear and Elena grinned up at him. But neither moved, both watching the scene unfold in front of them.

"Senpai noticed me." Clare deadpanned as Damon pulled her to her feet, tilting her gently to look her over.

"Quit being inappropriate with Clary!" Damon snapped, turning his head, probably glaring behind his helmet. Elena wasn't sure how it was even possible to dislike Nate, he was just so… cute. "It's disgusting and weird!"

"Aw, Damie, don't be jealous," Nate cooed affectionately. With a flick of his wrist, he knocked the helmet right off the vampire's head, grabbed the rim of his armor, tugging Damon down as he jumped up, planting a loud kiss on Damon's mouth.

Damon seemed too shock to do anything as Nate bounced back with a wink, snatching the pillowcase of candy out of his hand and disappearing as if he had never been there to begin with.

Elena, Stefan, and Clare gaped at Damon in shock who was standing frozen, blue eyes wide with utter disbelief. Elena wasn't sure what she had just witnessed… Had Nate just kissed Damon…? Or had she imagined that entire thing…?

"He stole my candy!" Clare suddenly burst out, stomping her foot, snapping Damon out of his horrified daze. The vampire hastily swiped his mouth as Stefan broke out laughing so hard he stumbled backwards, gripping his waist.

"I'm so glad I get to stake him later!" Damon growled furiously and Elena's mouth twitched upward.

"Is that what they're calling it these days, Damon?" She couldn't help herself, Damon walked right into that one. He threw her an annoyed look as Stefan's laughter grew louder.

---

Jenna's party was in full swing by the time they'd got back, Elena and Clare hand in hand, squeezing past dressed up adults as they made their way up to Elena's room. As Clare was still pouting about her stolen candy, Damon was still fuming over the stolen kiss. Stefan thought the entire thing was just really funny.

"Jeremy is still out," Stefan noted, looking around the empty room as Damon tilted his head, eyes becoming unfocused briefly. A smirk tilted across his lips.

"He's with Hot Gamer Girl," Damon said smugly and Stefan glanced back at him in surprise.

"You're having the crow follow him?" Stefan knew Damon was protective but this was just insane. This older brother scoffed, rolling his eyes like Stefan had said something stupid.

"Of course I am, he's hanging out with a vampire." Damon said matter-of-factly and Stefan's eyes widened with surprise. What? "Remember Katherine's friend, Pearl? It's her kid, Anna." Damon lifted a shoulder indifferently. "Don't look so surprised, you know how I am."

Obsessively protective, yeah, Stefan knew. "You haven't told anyone about this? This might've be a little important!" Stefan ran his fingers through his hair, voice hushed, despite the fact that Elena nor Clare would have been able to hear them normally, never mind with the music playing loudly.

Damon shot him a flat look. "If you think I'm going to tell Clary so she can freak out and prevent Jerbear from getting laid, then—"

"She's a vampire." Stefan reminded incredulously. Was Damon this stupid? There was a lot more at stake than Jeremy getting laid! "I think Jeremy has the right to know."

"Clary didn't tell Elena you were one." Damon reminded, going through a bag that had been stuffed in the back of Jeremy's closet. Stefan sputtered. That was completely different! "Besides, Jeremy already knows she's a vampire." That surprised Stefan. He blinked, staring at Damon. "Mmmhm. He noticed Clary's ring turning red when he met her at Gamestop… Fuckin' course Clarissa doesn't take notice to that shit, I don't even know why I got the stupid thing for her…" he trailed off grumbling, tossing the bag aside carelessly. "When she didn't show for the midnight release he kind of figured she knew you and I were vampires. I don't think she knows about P—the crow, so I was able to figure out who she was. We think she's hoping to use him to open the tomb to get Pearl out. Either way, he's keeping an eye on her, just in case she works for Elijah."

Stefan's eyes narrowed slightly, watching his brother rummage through the drawers. "This is dangerous, Damon. You're putting Jeremy in unnecessary danger, and Elena and Clare should know about this."

"The kid was born into unnecessary danger, his sisters are magnets for supernatural dickery." Damon snorted upon finding something, shaking his head, and going through the next drawer. "We're taking care of it, he's wearing vervain and he's definitely not happy to see her, that's just a stake in his pocket. I'm not telling them shit and neither are you. Elena is already at the breaking point, especially with the adoption looming over her, and Clary doesn't need anything else to obsessively research. So. Don't. Tell. Them."

Damon might've been fine with keeping secrets from Clare, but Stefan and Elena worked on trust. He was going to tell her.

It actually took longer than expected to get out of their costumes, both of them noticing the tiny My Little Pony stickers slapped randomly on the armor. It figured Jeremy was never going to let them live that down.

Stefan awkwardly stood by the staircase, waiting for Elena, smiling politely at all the slightly intoxicated costumed people who bummed into him on their way to the living room. The house was buzzing with friendly conversations and music, a mixture of foods making Stefan's stomach turn.

"Hey!" Elena caught Stefan's arm and he instantly tilted toward her, feeling less unsettled with her familiar warmth and scent wafting over him. He grinned down at her, adoring her beautiful face with his gaze. "We'll meet you at the Haunted House?"

"Mmhm. We're stopping at the boarding house first, but we'll probably get there before you." Stefan nodded, half distractedly, as he caught sight of Alaric standing in the archway of the kitchen, a dark look on his face.

Stefan followed his line of sight to the door, where Damon and Clare were eating each other's faces like they were going to be separated for a long time. His gaze flickered toward Alaric, whose dark expression could only be compared to that of a furious father's. This wasn't good. Elena released a frustrated noise, noticing, and quickly crossing the room, grabbing Clare by the arm.

"Goodbye, Damon," Elena growled, tugging her twin out the house while Clare sent Damon an adoring smile.

"Bye, D!" Clare gushed giddily.

Damon, seemingly oblivious to the murderous look he was being sent, smirked smugly, wiggling his fingers at the two as Elena slammed the door in his face. Stefan crossed the room quickly, intent on getting Damon out before anything could happen, but his brother caught sight of Alaric. His smirk twisted into a sarcastic one and Stefan stilled, knowing what was about to come out of his mouth.

"Like mother like daughter," Damon taunted and Stefan groaned just as Alaric's eyes narrowed into slits.

It all happened so quickly. One moment Alaric was glowering while Damon was smirking, and the next they were on the floor, Alaric punching Damon right in the face. Stefan took a step back as the two rolled, creating enough noise that a lot of people turned their attention toward the fight, gasping and cheering.

"You son of a bitch!" Alaric was clearly drunk.

"Get off me it was a joke!" Damon was surprisingly letting Alaric pin him, not shoving him off even as the history teacher repeatedly punched him in the face. "Stef—ouch! A little help?"

Damon kind of deserved it. "I wonder who will win," Stefan said sarcastically. "Who wants to take bets? Will it be Alaric Saltzman, the history teacher? Or Damon Salvatore, the gym teacher?"

"Dick," Damon groaned, hardly fighting back. Was he letting Alaric win…?

"I'll take up that bet," Logan said with a grin, clamping Stefan's shoulder. He was clearly drunk, too. "Twenty bucks on Damon!"

"Oh my God, what are you two doing?" Jenna came into view looking furious. Alaric froze, as though realizing where he was, and Damon shoved him off. "The both of you take this outside! There is no stupid drunk fighting in my house! Stefan, haul them out! Before they break something!"

---

Alaric leaned against the porch railing, the chilly evening air sobering him up a little. Damon had punched him in the face a few times, but honestly, Alaric had been hit a lot harder before. He was fairly positive the bastard let him beat him up. Maybe Damon felt he owed him one. Somehow that thought left a bitter taste in his mouth. Since his Isobel went missing, nothing had made a bit of damn sense. He had been so sure coming to Mystic Falls would have brought him answers—then he slammed into Isobel's daughter's life the same way he had met Isobel. And while he had been sick to his stomach, Clarissa and Elena brought him a sense of peace he didn't know he needed. Isobel lived on through them, as she had been. Especially through Clarissa. It was more than just a similar appearance, Clarissa was so very much Isobel's daughter that it healed the wound inside Alaric's heart just a little.

Everything he had been so sure he knew was slowly being ripped from him. That vampire was a douchebag, but he wasn't the monster Alaric had imagined him to be. He honestly wasn't sure what to feel about anything anymore.

Light pooled onto the porch as the door opened and closed. Alaric tilted his head, staring flatly at Damon who glanced back at him. He was slightly surprised when the vampire offered him a beer. Raising his eyebrows, Alaric accepted it, and the two locked into a mutually annoyed stare. He knew it was a peace offering, and he really hoped Damon wasn't going to give him some bullshit speech.

"Dick." Damon snipped as Alaric opened the beer.

"Prick." Alaric shot back, throwing him a sarcastic smile.

"Happy Halloween, Mr. Saltzman," Stefan greeted, pushing his brother off the porch and Alaric offered a nod.

"Same to you, Stefan." He murmured, raising the beer in mock toasting. Stefan had changed his thinking about vampires—clearly not all of them were raging psychopaths. "See you in class tomorrow."

He was only slightly surprised to see them get into a car. He figured they needed to keep their vampirism low key, and he was a little annoyed Damon had a decent car.

The door opened and Alaric tilted his head, surprise flashing through him at the sight of Jenna. Guilt immediately swelled, he'd acted like a total fool in front of her, drunkenly fighting in her house. He wasn't sure why he was suddenly nervous, either. She leaned against the railing next to him and he awkwardly took a sip of the beer.

"How'd it feel to punch Damon?" Jenna wondered after a long silence and Alaric nearly choked on the beer, laughing.

---

This had been a mistake.

"He ate your hoo-hoo?" Caroline was basically shouting it at me while doing her makeup and I was just curled up on the floor, hugging my knees to my chest, wishing this would end. "Oh my God! He ate your hoo-hoo!"

"The entire boarding house had glow in the dark stars?" Bonnie gushed, grinning widely like this was the greatest fucking thing in the entire world. Please let me have a stroke and die. "Like the whole boarding house? Just because you like them?"

"Our little Clare made Damon a man last night." Elena added with a deranged cackle. Elena, no, you were supposed to be the sane one! "She rode that demon!"

Let me die. Let God strike me down here. Let this all end.

Caroline pranced across the room and suddenly Lady Gaga was blasting out of her iHome. No.

"Let's have some fun, this beat is sick!" She sang loudly to the lyrics. "Clare took a ride on Damon's disco stick!"

I hate these friends.

Hate them.

---

Stefan's eyebrows crinkled in confusion as Damon pulled into the Mystic Grill parking lot, green eyes sliding toward his. Damon was good at looking nonchalant. "I'm kinda hungry." Damon said with a half shrug, pulling out a wad of cash and handing it to Stefan who was looking more and more baffled. "Get me a burger."

Stefan stared down at the money in his hand and then to Damon. "…Seriously?"

"Hurry up, lil bro." Damon made a shooing motion with his hand and Stefan rolled his eyes, getting out of the car. "And a drink! Don't forget to get me a drink!" He called as Stefan slammed the car door.

Baby.

He waited until Stefan was in the building before tilting his gaze toward the backseats. "Do your thing, puffball."

Nate appeared with a wicked grin on his face. "I'll influence them out here," he said in a devilishly chiming voice, disappearing again, and Damon pulled out the arm cuff from his pocket.

He had nabbed it from Teacher who had been too drunk and too angrily focused on beating him in the face to notice Damon stealing it. Teacher's reaction was so predictable, he felt like someone should've caught onto what he was doing. Clarissa knew without him even having to voice his idea, but then maybe that's why she was his birdhouse.

And this was a hell of a lot cooler than just whipping a stake out from his pocket. Damon would've been lying if he said he wasn't going to pretend to be a professional vampire hunter while wearing it. He doubted he was going to return it to Teacher, who was only going to try to use it on him again. Hearing a bickering couple leaving the Grill, Damon strapped the arm cuff on and casually slid out of the car.

The Lockwoods immediately ceased their mini argument the closer they got to their car, which so happened to be right next to Damon's. They threw on smiling faces, acting like the perfect, happy, couple, and Damon nearly rolled his eyes as he leaned against the trunk of his car.

"Hello Mayor, Mrs. Lockwood," Damon greeted pleasantly, tilting his head, pretending to look thoughtful. "Let me guess… Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan?"

Mrs. Lockwood laughed, smiling. "You guess correctly."

"Damon Salvatore, isn't it?" The Mayor asked, holding out his hand which Damon took. "You're the new football coach."

"Temporarily, until the school finds a better replacement." Damon matched their friendly smiles with his own.

Mrs. Lockwood smiled coyly. "With the way our son, Tyler, talks about you, I think you might be looking at this as something long term. He speaks very highly of you."

Damon nearly scoffed and made sure to keep his charming grin in place. "Well, we'll see next game how good of a coach I am, hm?" He joked, joining their polite laughter. This was getting boring fast. "I won't keep you, you two look like you're going somewhere fun."

"Yes, the Halloween party at the Gilbert's," the Mayor said, sending Mrs. Lockwood a quick look. "It's a tradition. Are you headed there yourself?"

"Ah, no. I'm dropping my little brother off at a Haunted House party and then I'm probably going home." Damon shook his head, wondering where the hell that puffball was. "But—ah, since you're headed there anyway," he said quickly as the couple tilted toward their car. Good thing he had a plan B. Damon pulled out a vial of vervain. "For the punch. Can't be too careful these days."

"Is this vervain?" The Mayor asked in surprise, taking it from Damon like it was something sacred and special. Idiots.

"I am a Salvatore." Damon teased and the two looked at him with growing curiosity.

Damon suddenly found himself staring at a willowy pale man in a black overcoat who stood between he and the Lockwoods, seemingly materializing out of thin air. Nate? The stranger smiled darkly, his black hair tied back in a bow, dark eyes cold.

"Hello, little Salvatore," the stranger, Nate, spoke in a dangerously soft voice, a European accent tracing his words which rung sinisterly in the dark parking lot.

The Lockwoods jumped as he grabbed Damon by the throat, sharp fingernails digging into his flesh, as he lifted Damon a foot off the ground. Christ. Fae were strong little fuckers.

Pretending to choke, Damon gripped Nate's wrist. "Cyrus," he rasped in a growl, throwing his expression into an infuriated one. Cyrus sounded like a good vampire name. "You—bastard."

Nate tilted his head toward the Lockwoods who were huddled together, Mrs. Lockwood half behind the Mayor, both looking terrified. Nate chuckled softly.

"Now, now, do not worry, you two will be next." He turned his gaze back to Damon, smiling coldly. He roughly threw Damon to the ground, kicking him in the ribs. Damon was faintly surprised that none of this was hurting him, but hell, it looked good. He pretended to choke and wheeze as Nate snatched a fistful of hair, hauling Damon back up. "All these deaths are on you, little Salvatore," Nate hissed, slamming Damon's face into the trunk of the car. Damon pretended to groan in pain. "Perhaps I'll go after your brother first, perhaps I'll make you watch everyone you've met in this town die."

"Go to hell," Damon said in a wheeze, coughing, as he stumbled to his feet. Nate threw his head to laugh and Damon tackled him.

They hit the ground in front of the Lockwoods who both released shrieks as the they pretended to fight. Damon flicked his wrist, the stake sliding into his hand. He slammed it with mock anger (he was actually pretty giddy) into Nate's chest and the Fae released a very supernatural sounding hiss, kind of sounding like a tea kettle, his skin instantly becoming wrinkled and gray. He slumped to the ground, and Damon might've been amused when his heart stopped beating. Pretending to be out of breath, Damon staggered to his feet, kicking Nate's limp body so that he rolled onto his back.

The Lockwoods were gaping at him in states of horrified disbelief, looking shaken, eyes round. Damon almost broke out laughing and quickly turned around, pretending to fumble with his keys as he opened his trunk.

"You… You just…" Mrs. Lockwood stammered. "Vampire…?"

Damon gripped Nate by the arms, hauling him into the trunk. "Look, my brother is going to be out here in a few seconds, he… He doesn't know about this life," Damon muttered quickly, slamming the trunk shut just as Nate's heartbeat sprang into life. "Don't tell anyone what you saw, just go to the party."

The couple stared at him, stunned.

"You've done this before," the Mayor said after a moment, recovering faster than his wife who was looking ready to faint. "We have this whole council dedicated to this, but none of us… None of us have even seen a vampire, let alone know how to…"

"Could we talk about this another time?" Damon cut him off quietly, glancing toward the Grill. "Somewhere privately?"

"Yes," the Mayor said, lowering his voice. "I'll… November twelfth, six o'clock." Suckers. He wrapped an arm around the stunned Mrs. Lockwood. "Come along, Carol." His gaze locked with Damon, giving him a nod and Damon nodded back.

Idiots.

The very second the car pulled out of the parking lot, the trunk flew open and Nate sat up, looking like his human self, the stake twirling between his slender fingers.

"I have informed our Claryberry that the dark deed has been done." Nate said, disappearing before Damon could wring his neck for using his nickname.

"Was that Nate?" Stefan wondered, a to-go bag in one hand, a large drink in the other. Damon flashed him a grin, snatching the bag from Stefan's hands.

"Nate just came out of the trunk to me."

---

This Harley Quinn costume was the most provocative thing I'd ever worn, especially when Bonnie and Caroline were done with me. I have the fantastic ability to make anything I wear look cute and adorable (this was apparently a Fae thing), and I had wanted to look adorably sexy. But one look in the floor length mirror and I realized I was sex incarnated.

I'd do me.

The outfit was pretty simple. It consisted of a white puff sleeved top that had a popped collar and a red leather girdle that went over the top, hugging my torso tightly. The girdle stopped just above my belly button, exposing a bit of skin as the white skirt hung around my hips so lowly that it showed off the red straps of my underwear that looped around my pelvis bone. This skirt was, by far, the shortest thing I'd ever put on. I wouldn't be able to bend over even just a little bit. My favorite part of the outfit had to be the thigh high leather platform boots that Noah had mailed to me. The left was purple and the right was red, and it was just so Harley Quinn that I would've been bouncing up and down if I could. They made me at least three inches taller, too. The fishnet stockings were alright, but I'd never been a fan of fishnet, and I had been debating whether or not I should remove the black leather choker but Caroline threatened me with actual violence if I did. To top the look off, I had my hair in pigtails with an old fashioned nurses hat between the tails.

Bonnie had talked me into unbuttoning the shirt a little like how Harley Quinn had hers in the game, and it might've been a little awkward having that much skin exposed. It also helped me realized I looked really good in the borrowed red lacey push-up bra, and I had awesome cleavage.

"I thought fairies hated red," Elena said, looking me up and down approvingly, and I shrugged.

"A little red isn't that bad." I said dismissively.

Elena and Bonnie were dressed as dark angels, wearing frilly dresses, that might've been only slightly longer than the skirt I was wearing, and feathery black wings. Caroline was dressed as a sexier version of the slave Princess Leia costume. Like the bra barely contained her boobs and the clasps that held the red curtain that draped over her hoo-hoo hung lowly and was much smaller than it should've been.

In other words, Caroline was basically naked.

And it was mutually agreed to not leave her alone with anyone. She hadn't mentioned James and she was overly cheerful. I had a feeling this was how she coped. If things were different, I wouldn't have thought twice about her costume—really, she rocked the look. I was just worried she was going to make a row of terrible mistakes to distract herself. And I was never going to trust teenage boys. It was our job to protect her, without her realizing that's what we were doing.

"…Really?" I couldn't keep the sarcasm out of my voice when Bonnie pulled up to the school. Caroline knitted her eyebrows, looking at me oddly. "The Haunted House is at the school?"

"Yeah, Clare, like every year, since ever. ADD much?" Caroline scoffed, pushing me out of the car. I stumbled a bit, and probably would have fallen if it wasn't for Bonnie who caught my arm.

I gestured wildly to the building where the music was so loud that it was causing the parking lot to rumble under my feet. I was pretty sure there were freakin' strobe lights going on inside and a sea of half-dressed students were pouring into the building.

And zero adults.

Zero.

They were all probably drunk at Jenna's party.

"This doesn't seem a little… Unrealistic to you guys?" I asked as Elena looped her arm through mine. The three of them stared at me as we walked toward the school. "I mean, this is shit you'd see in a TV show centered around teens."

It had to be said. It just had to.

This was like a friggin' Forest of Fear—like, one of those professional spooky places that opened up for the entire month of October. Oh, and look, the entrance to the school had a curtain with projected spook images on it! Are you kidding me?!

This town could be super obsessed with vampires, but only that! Vampires and the year 1864! Not security or adult supervision or fucking anything else!

"What the fuck this doesn't even look like the school anymore!" I cried as Elena led me by hand through the building which was decked out like a real haunted house, strobe lights flashing—shit was there a fog machine in here? And somehow the lights were tinted green! "You have to be kidding me. Seriously…? Nobody does this stuff! This is a school! Who even had the time to set this up?"

"I think she had too much of the good stuff," Bonnie joked, behind me, as we squeezed through the throngs of costumed teens who were wearing glow sticks like this was a friggin' rave!

I wanted one, damn it!

"Wow Clare," Caroline's voice drifted over the blaring tacky Halloween soundtrack. "I am a huge reason why the school looks so fab! I'm a part of the committee that puts this stuff together! We worked on it all weekend, so don't even go there right now!"

"Is this a fucking archway? Like how'd you guys even get this inside the building?" I wondered incredulously. How much was their budget for this kind of thing? I wasn't sure why this whole thing just kind of pissed me off!

A figure jumped out at us with a yell causing Elena to flail backwards into me as the four of us screamed. It ended up being Matt looking like a stereotypical werewolf, with the furry face, snout, and slightly ripped clothing. He grinned at us, his gaze mostly trailing down Elena's body.

That's right, I forgot he still had the feels for her. Poor guy.

"You guys look…" he blanched upon seeing me. What the hell? "Uh. Nice."

Jerk.

"The correct word is smoking hot." Caroline said, hands on her hips and Matt's mouth nearly dropped.

"Whoa, Caroline!" He recovered fast with a grin. "I didn't know you liked Star Wars." Bravo, Matt. Really.

"Well, if you bothered to know me past being just Elena's friend, you'd know all sorts of things about me!" My blonde bestie shot back with a sarcastic smile and head tilt, blonde curls bouncing. With that she brushed past him, Matt's head turning to watch her in astonishment.

"Don't take it personally," Bonnie said with a gentle smile as he glanced back at us. "She's—uh… Taking the break-up hard." Bonnie quickly excused herself to chase after Caroline.

"How's Vicki doing?" Elena asked curiously as we began our stupid tour of the stupid haunted school with Matt. He laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"She's… Well, she's doing pretty good, actually. Real improvement, they said. She's coming home either tomorrow or the next day." Matt said with a small smile. Coming home? "I really don't know what happened, but I guess she just kind of snapped out of it. She's never willing put herself into rehab before, so I'm thinking… She seems to really want to change."

Vicki went to rehab? Judging by the soft look on Elena's face, she knew.

I wondered if Jeremy knew. I wonder if Vicki 'snapping out of it' was code for being compelled into it.

"That's great, Matt." Elena said earnestly. "Maybe we'll get the old Vicki back." Matt lit up, a wide grin flying across his face.

"I hope so."

Thankfully I spotted Jeremy's Halo costume and released a relieved breath, this was getting super awkward for me. "Mista J!" I gushed in my best Harley Quinn accent, detaching from Elena as I pranced over toward my brother. Jeremy frowned upon seeing me.

"Clare? What the hell are you wearing?" He demanded but I noticed the slight girl standing awkwardly next to him, wearing the Halo helmet. "You can't walk around like this! For Christ sake, button your shirt!"

"Anna-Banana?" I wondered hopefully, completely ignoring the irritated insults Jeremy was throwing at me. Anna lifted the helmet over her head, grinning at me.

"Hey Clare," she greeted warmly and I had to refrain from bouncing giddily on my feet. Jeremy had taken her to the haunted house!

That totally meant something!

I threw my arms around her neck, drawing her closer to me. "I'm so glad you're here!" I said excitedly over the music as she laughed, patting me on the back.

"Um, thanks? I guess?" She murmured as I pulled back, Jeremy groaning next to me.

"Quit it!" He hissed at me, clearly embarrassed. "I'm sorry about my sister, Anna." I stuck my tongue out at him.

"It's fine," Anna brushed his apology away. "Jeremy and I aren't on a date if that's what you're thinking. I've just never been to a haunted house before and he offered to take me…"

Sounded like a date to me.

"She's homeschooled." Jeremy said as if that would explain everything. I threw him an odd look. Cause being homeschooled really had anything to do with this. He was just embarrassed I'd caught him on a date!

"Are you Anna?" Elena asked, appearing besides me, looking between our brother and the pretty dark haired girl.

"You must be Elena." Anna nodded with a friendly grin.

Elena tugged her into a hug and poor Anna looked taken aback for a moment. "It's so good to finally meet you!"

Haha. She did the same thing I had! Anna's cheeks flushed as she shifted awkwardly, patting Elena on the back as well.

"Okaaaay, and now we're leaving," Jeremy took Anna's hand (which meant they were holding hands!), gently leading her away from us. Anna tilted to offer an apologetic smile, waving goodbye to us.

"Aw! Come over some time, Anna!" Elena called after her as we both waved.

"I like her." I announced once the two were out of ear shot. "She's super cute." Elena nodded in agreement.

I was annoyed when we exited the school to find the entire field littered with booths and activities. Like seriously, how did they afford all this crap? We found Caroline and Bonnie with Tyler, and I was pretty sure Tyler was drinking.

How the hell?

Seriously.

How the hell?

Where he'd even get this stuff from? And why weren't there any adults! He had friggin' booze! Like this is how horrible memories are made! Drunk half-dressed teenagers!

Tyler could've been dressed to match Caroline, as they were both basically naked. All Tyler had on was a (super awesome) red cape, armored underwear and boots. Like he was one of those guys from that 300movie. He did a double take upon seeing me, dark eyes moving over Elena and I.

"You should've dressed like a werewolf, dude." I said brightly. He lifted his eyebrows, raising his cup as though to toast me.

"I love Halloween." He said, tilting the shot back quickly. "You Gilbert twins are looking good." Ew.

"Don't be gross, Tyler." Bonnie scowled at him and I realized Caroline might've been a little tipsy. She was smiling in a flirty way at Tyler who noticed and smirked back at her.

"Okaaaay, so I think the drinking is done for tonight," Elena said, smiling at Tyler threateningly. "Time for your bad influence to leave."

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever," he muttered, walking off, and I decided I wanted a cape. It'd look better on me, even if it was red.

"Jeez, Elena, what crawled up your butt?" Caroline whined as I watched Tyler's cape longingly. Tyler should be flapping around in it. "You, like, seriously need to get laid, and relax. It's Halloween! We're supposed to have fun!"

"You wished for me, and here I am, Blondie," Damon's flirty drawl threw my heart into overdrive and I turned around quickly, nearly going into cardiac arrest.

I hadn't really believed Damon would show up in the costume I picked out but here he was, dressed as the Dark Knight's nurse Joker. The white nurse dress reached his knees, he even wore the white knee socks and white heeled boots. There was something terribly sexy about the way he was able to pull off the look, his black hair more disheveled than usual, burning dark blue eyes glinting at me which seemed so much more sinister with the white face paint and the black around his eyes.

"Hiya, Mista D," I chimed and Damon wiggled his fingers at me.

"Pumpkin," he greeted teasingly.

"Doesn't Clare look hot?" Caroline wondered loudly, coming to stand next to me, her arm sliding around my shoulders. She sounded oddly proud. "Heard about the date your tongue had with her hoo-hoo, Damon!"

Oh my God!

Elena and I clamped our hands over Caroline's mouth as Damon's lips quirked upward into a deadly smirk that had me feeling dizzy.

"And so it begins," Bonnie sighed behind us as Damon tsked.

"Poor Barbie, she just wants to have fun." Damon took Caroline's hand, pulling her toward him, though his gaze stayed locked onto me. "She's right, it's Halloween, we should be partying!"

Caroline cheered while Bonnie and I glanced at each other.

"Damon." Elena pursed her lips, her tone a warning, as she crossed her arms.

"Don't be such a party pooper!" Caroline said as Damon waved off Elena's comment, slinging an arm around Caroline's shoulders.

"Relaaax," he drawled, rolling his eyes. "I won't let anything happen to her, or let any dick go near her, okay? But Blondie is in need for some serious fun. Think of me as the chaperon."

"Woo! I love your boyfriend!" Caroline cheered, grinning widely as Elena glanced at Bonnie and I. I offered a half shrug, kind of siding with Damon.

I mean, as long as we made sure Caroline didn't go home with anyone or was left alone, this would be good for her. She kind of needed to reinstated herself, find her confidence, and feel like she was in control of her own life. With the proper supervision, of course.

"Damon might be right," Bonnie was totally on the same wave length as me. I beamed at her while Elena sighed, throwing her hands up, giving in. Success.

"Let's make this the best Halloween ever!" I gushed, excitedly.

"I'm almost afraid to ask." Stefan murmured appearing beside Elena who brightened upon seeing him, wrapped her arms around his middle. He got points off for showing up without a costume, though. For shame.

"We're going to party, guys!" Caroline shouted gleefully as Stefan's green gaze narrowed on me. He gave me the same look Matt and Jeremy had, the uncomfortable unhappiness only a brother could have. "Happy Halloween!"

I was the sex damn it, why was everyone looking at me like I was their kid sister?

"No costume, Stef? Points off." Damon shook his head and I swear everyone was jacking my thoughts today.

"I'm dressed up as a human High School student, Damon." Stefan quipped back with a sarcastic smile. Jesus Christ.

"So Edward Cullen." Bonnie raised her eyebrows, lifting her hand so I could high-five her.

"Oh my God!" Caroline giggled. "Stefan, you would be Edward! Where is your sparkles?"

"Yeah, Steffy, where are your sparkles?" Damon echoed with a smirk as Stefan pretended to look through his pockets, only to pull out his middle finger.

"Why don't we go bobbing for apples first?" Elena suggested happily, cutting in before this could become an argument. I turned my head, eyeing the giant black cauldron that everyone seemed to be avoiding like the plague.

Because bobbing for apples was lame.

"Woo! Shot for every time I get an apple in my mouth!" Caroline snatched mine and Damon's wrists.

It didn't take long for the three of us to draw a crowd, and I wasn't even that surprised when it turned out Caroline was an apple bobbing champion. I wasn't really sure where Tyler was getting the booze from, or where he was even stashing it, but every time Caroline resurfaced with an apple in her mouth, he was handing her a shot of something.

I had a feeling Damon was trying to behave himself, his fingers would slid over mine occasionally, or brush across my arm. It felt like he was physically restraining himself from grabbing me, but then maybe it was just me projecting because all I wanted to do was pounce on him like a psycho and kiss him until I passed out.

"Woo, Care!" Bonnie and I cheered as Caroline beat the zombie bride, a shiny red apple between her teeth. Our blonde bestie pegged the apple at Stefan with a laugh as Tyler handed her the next shot.

Which must've been her fourth one.

I was seriously loving that drunk Caroline abused Stefan as much as I did. He took it like a man.

"Come on, Steffy and C-Clary!" Caroline motioned us closer, a devious grin on her face. "Fight me!"

"Oh, I…" Stefan attempted to refuse, shaking his head, when Elena and Damon pushed him forward.

"It's rude to refuse a beautiful woman, brother," Damon cowed as Caroline snatched Stefan's hand, tugging him closer.

"Have fun, live a little!" Elena added with a gleeful laugh.

"Yeah, Clare," Bonnie grinned wickedly, pushing me forward slightly. I shot her a look. "Bob for apples!"

No way.

"I can't exactly bend over," I reminded them with a huff, not liking the cheesy grins Bonnie and Elena sent me.

"Nobody will look!" Caroline assured me drunkenly, smacking my ass. "She's wearing red panties everyone!" She called loud enough so that people passing by glanced at us and I frowned. Giving away my secrets! Stefan ran his hand over his face, like he wasn't sure why he was sticking around, and Damon tilted his head a little, as though trying to see. "Now everyone knows. So, bend over, give us a nice view and bob with me!"

"I thought you didn't like red." Stefan was just a sassy little bastard tonight. I couldn't believe my underwear was being casually discussed. I guess that's what happens when someone overhears you having sex. Now we had a bond I didn't want to have.

"I didn't even know you owned a pair like that." Damon decided to say loudly and I flushed. Thanks Damon, seriously. Please continue to tell everyone how you personally know all my underwear.

"Only when it's convenient for her to not like it, apparently." Bonnie said to Stefan and I shrugged.

"Rules mean nothing to me." I stated seriously, turning to glance at Damon. "And these are borrowed from Caroline."

"Okay so bend your sexy self over and let's do this!" Caroline grinned suggestively at me, smacking my arm a little too hard in her attempts to be flirty.

"I don't want to flash everyone my underwear!" I had a little dignity!

"I think you should borrow more things from Blondie." Damon said just as seriously. "She's got good taste."

"Damon!" Elena scolded while Caroline grinned in appreciation.

"Don't be such a sissy, Gilbert," Tyler said, and I flailed. I'd forgotten he was standing there! Tyler pulled his cape off his shoulders and I brightened. Give me the cape! "If you're going to be such a baby about a little bit of underwear being seen, here." He offered the velvety material and I excitedly took it from him, bouncing a little.

I felt like such a friggin' superhero in it. All I really wanted to do was run around, flapping my arms, pretending to be Superman.

I could not, for the life of me, grab a apple with my mouth, and I was fairly sure Stefan had thrown the game just so Caroline could feel like she drunkenly out-bobbed a vampire. What a nice guy.

"Let's go through the Haunted House!" Caroline slurred excitedly after tossing back her shot.

"Okay, Care, I think you had enough drinks!" Elena said with a laugh as she righted the blonde who had stumbled while attempting to walk.

"To the Haunted House!" Caroline repeated happily. "Bon! Lemme me on your back, I can't walk!"

"Uh, no, not happening. The last time you tried that I nearly broke my ankle." Bonnie said, raising her eyebrows with some serious attitude.

"Stefan!" Caroline demanded and said vampire shook his head. "Damon!"

My vampire draped his arms over my shoulders, which warmed me instantly. "Sorry, Blondie, the only skimpy clothed girl I'm touching is my Claryberry."

Somehow we came across Matt and talked him into giving Caroline a piggyback ride. He seemed only amused about carting around a scantily clothed drunken Caroline who would not sit still and flailed and gestured wildly. The Haunted House was a lot more fun this time around now that I had a cape and Caroline was drunkenly screaming at everything.

"OH MY GOD!" Caroline screeched, clinging to Matt's neck who was attempting to keep a straight face. "TOO SPOOKY!"

"Calm down, Care!" Bonnie said with a grin. "You're going to blow Matt's ear drums."

"Maybe that won't be the only thing I blow!" If Caroline thought she was whispering, she was failing, because we all heard it. Matt cleared his throat, choking on a forced laugh.

Damon's hand slid into mine, his blue eyes finding mine in the flashing, fog filled, hallway. I laced my fingers with his, letting him lead me away from the group. He pulled me into an empty classroom, backing me up against the wall, blue eyes devouring me as my pulsed danced excitedly.

Only he didn't grab me and kiss me like I thought he would.

Instead he kept a sliver of distance between us, his gaze drifting across my face, blue eyes hungry and intense and filled to the brim with passion. His hands gripped my torso, slowly moving down my sides, grabbing every inch of me like need to reassure himself that I was standing in front of him. His skin brushed across mine, his hands warm, sending waves of heat through me as his palms rested on my hips, fingers pressed into my skin tightly.

"Christ, Clarissa, never in a million years would I ever imagine you ever looking so fuckable," Damon muttered, his hands sliding back up, the pads of his fingers hot as they grazed across my chest, moving up my throat, curling around my face. "I want to see if I can make you scream louder than the music, I want everyone to know I'm fucking you."

My cheeks burned. I knew if he started to kiss me, I'd quickly lose myself to this whole thing. And a large part of me didn't care. Who care if we did it right here, right now? I felt powerfully reckless of a sudden, felt like we do whatever we wanted regardless of consequences. He licked his lips, nervously.

"But… But—God, but more than that, what you said to me, I can't get it out of my head. It's killing me." He continued in a rush and I stared back at him, my mind swirling with confusion and lust. "It's taking every ounce of will power to stay here, to not grab you and throw you in my car and drive and drive and drive. We could leave all this behind us, all the drama, all the worry. All of it. We could leave, right now. It's not our story, Clary—this whole doppelganger mess. It's Stefan's and Elena's."

I stared up at Damon, caught up in his gaze, as my entire body lit up with a deep excitement that quickly spilled through me, washing away everything else. We could leave. We could leave right now, start over, just be. The ultimate freedom was at my fingertips, all I had to do was tell Damon yes. The word burned on my lips as everything inside of my ached with the desire. We could be free, we could do whatever we wanted! Forever! It wouldn't really be the end of the world, they didn't need us here. I mean, Stefan and Elena would be fine, and Damon was right. This was their path, their story. And they would only drag us through the crossfire of it all. I curled my arms around his neck, drawing Damon closer to me, sharing the same breath as him as I stared back at him, dying to say yes.

It would be easier.

"Ewww, guys!" Caroline's drunk giggle pierced through us, she and Matt in the doorway, but I couldn't keep my gaze off Damon's. "You can do that gross shit at home. Get your sexy butts out here! Tyler found fireworks!"

The moment was over, for me and for him—I could see it in his gaze as he stared down at me. Because, hell, fireworks. With the boots, I didn't have to lift myself up on my tip toes and quickly kissed Damon. His arms wound around my waist, melting into me as he deepened the kiss.

"Uh, guys?" Matt was clearly uncomfortable and I pulled back, Damon's grin matching mine. I turned back to Matt.

"Coming!"

"Let's see if we can get Witchy to light the fireworks with her mind," Damon intertwined his fingers with mine as we followed Matt out of the room, Caroline still on his back now pretending he was her horse.

---

SHRIEKING DYING WHALE NOISE, I ACTUALLY DID IT. I actually wrote the thing. Now I'm going to be horribly anxious beCAUSE THEY DID THE DO. Honestly, I need to know what you guys thought. Less smut? More smut? More details? Less? "WTF TERAN"? Clarissa and Damon SITTING IN A TREE. M-U-R-D-E-R-I-N-G.
I hope you guys read all these chapters with Slater in mind, just frowning and sitting in the corner.

Before I continue on, I think it's kind of important to address that this is fictional, do not expect the first time you have sex with someone (whether you're a virgin or entering a new relationship) to be magical, or even remotely orgasmic, because usually it's not. Like the first time I had sex was totally planned because my boyfriend is weenie and it was SO BORING, like wtf is this shit. Turns out I'm either asexual or a kinky psychopath. No in between. Remember, have sex becausE YOU want to and stay safe! Also, if my parents are reading the fanfic LOL SURPRISE THINGS YOU NEVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT ME LOLOLOLOLLOLOLHFHBFasaf.

Q: Clarissa Glamouring
cackling. Don't worry, Clarissa is going to get in touch with more of her Fae roots (though she won't be nearly as powerful or have nearly as many neat tricks as Fae do). Once a few more Fae are introduced, they're going to have a little bit of fun Glamouring people into doing terrible things.

Q: Stefan/Clarissa friendship?
They might be friends, but they're going to be total dicks to each other. It's only going to get more sassier.

Q: Stefan accepted/not accepted by Fae
I think we can find a happy middle ground by having Stefan prove himself to the Fae and eventually be (sort of) accepted.

Q: Character deaths?
Nate has ensured that Lexi won't be killed now that the town thinks their vampire problem has been dealt with! JEREMY WON'T DIE EITHER.

Q: More Bonnie kickass goodness?
HELL FRIGGIN' YEAH. SHE'S GONNA BE A POWERFUL WITCH!

Q: Silas/Clarissa?
I love this character so much I might go back on what I said and bring him into the story. Just because I think so serious fun can be had.

Q: Bonnie getting laid
(i fuking cant wit u ok) Bonnie's totes gonna have a steady, sexy, vampire boyfriend. She's a friggin' amazing character and I feel like so much more can be done with her, y'know?

Q: Klaroline!
I PROMISE.

Q: Jenna/Alaric?
Of course!

Q: Are Caroline and Tyler still going to get together?
DO YOU GUYS WANT THEM TO?
I LOVE the Caroline/Tyler friendship. LOVE IT. I don't have any plans of them becoming anything more than really good friends. But if you guys want it, it can happen.

Q: Originals?
Disgustingly soon, I promise.

Q: Clarissa wakes up in Supernatural?
I am flattered beyond all belief that some of you like Clarissa this much you'd like to see another fanfic with her in it, and rachellaurenm pm'd me a great idea where it's a similar plot to TVD only Clarissa wakes up in Supernatural, which got me thinking. I could tweak things here and there, make it kind of different, 'cause, guys, three seconds in the Supernatural world and Clarissa would be dead. Like for some reason Sam and Dean are like "even though you're not a hunter and we don't ever do this, come along with us. OKAY TO REPEL A GHOST YOU NEED THIS" they toss her iron, she drops dead. I could easily take away the whole iron-killing her thing, and then to force the Winchesters to put up with her bullshit she can wake up in their world "AREN'T YOU THE GUY WHO HAS THE ANGEL BOYFRIEND WTF IS THIS" only to find that she'd magically linked to Dean. Like she can't go more than a 100 feet of him without being dragged back, it'd be the only way to make it work is if they were stuck with her, trying to figure a way to break the curse. And then when Dean dies she'll be stuck by his grave for four months. BUT GUYS. SAM AND DEAN WOULD FUCKING HATE HER.
u know this in your heart 2 b tru.
her fucking with Cas would be the funniest thing, tho.
so while this idea is super fun, I probably won't make it a fanfiction ON HERE. I'll have fun with it on the tumblr though.

so how about that last episode of TVD?
I haven't stopped laughing.
I will never stop laughing.

anyway.

THANKS FOR READING GUYS, LOVE YA!