"I'm not." she answered quickly jumping to her feet in front of him. "I trust you with my life Damon. It's just a reaction. Its not on purpose."
His forehead wrinkled again as he tried to understand her words. "A reaction? To what? You were wrapped in my arms downstairs and you didn't let go. Why now since then, when I touch you, do you jump away?" His voice was tender and calm but inside he was full of confusion.
He just wanted to wipe away anything standing between them. He wanted to rush her against the wall and finish what they had started on his car. He wanted her so badly, he physically ached. Feeling Klaus' hand in his chest and being so close to death. Closer to death than he thought he had ever been in a century, he wanted nothing more than to claim her for himself body and soul. He had no idea how they would get out of this present mess and he honestly didn't care at that moment. All he could think of was how much he could not wait any longer to be with her.
"Elena," he breathed and he stepped closer, running his finger along her cheek. He saw her shudder for the briefest moment and then she moaned as her eyes fell closed. God, she was so beautiful.
Elena looked deep in his eyes and cursed her body for jumping away from his touch. She could see such longing in his eyes. She was relieved beyond words that he was alive and safe but she knew he needed to know what happened, no matter how hard it would be for him to hear it.
She sat back down on the bed beside Stefan and looked down at her still soaked clothes as she rubbed her hands together nervously.
He knelt down on his knees in front of her, tipping her chin down to him and she stiffened a second time.
He frowned again at her reaction to his touch, his hand rubbing gently on her knee as he looked up at her, longing to know what was between them. "Lanie, what happened? Please tell me."
She stood up suddenly and walked over to the closet door and leaned against it, her head down again. She finally lifted her head and drew in a deep breath. "You..you hurt me," she whispered.
"I what?" He had no idea what she was talking about. "No, never..how?" he questioned, his eyes wide in disbelief.
"Klaus," she breathed out, shutting her eyes tight. "He compelled you." When she opened them there was shock and sadness all over Damon's face.
"Oh God, baby." He stroked her face and she pulled away quickly again. "What did I do?" He realized that she was scared of him and he took a step back giving her more room to breath. "What happened?"
She looked down at Stefan and walked over and tucked the blanket up higher on his chest, seeing him shivering.
"Did I hurt Stefan too?" he asked timidly.
She nodded, sniffling. "He was trying to help me. Klaus must have compelled you to bring me to him. You fought him and staked your own brother in the stomach... And you came after me." She was sobbing silently now and he moved closer to her to comfort her.
Damon's eyes were full of sorrow that he would have ever hurt the beautiful woman he loved. He growled under his breath that he would make Klaus pay for it! But his growl startled Elena and she backed away till she was against the closet door. "I'm so, sorry baby" he whispered backing up again, giving her space.
"You attacked me.." she started. "And you were so sick teasing me calling me Lanie and angel, telling me I wanted you."
Damon sucked in a breath not wanting to know what else he had done but he let her continue.
"You chased me pulled me down and held me so tight."
God, it was so hard to tell him this. She was breaking inside but she knew that for things to move forward, she needed to be honest.
He looked down at her wrists and his eyes widened at the huge red marks around her wrists. That was from him? He did that to her?! He lifted her hands up to his lips and kissed gently around the red marks he had given her on both her hands before kissing the middle of her palm, holding it up to his cheek. He wanted so badly to undo what he had done. Damn that vampire!
"You did kick down the door and knock Jeremy out. You trapped me in the kitchen against the counter and started strangling me!"
Damon shut his eyes tight, a tear slipping out of the corner of one eye, not baring to hear anymore. "Lanie your neck.. he pointed."
She walked to the mirror above the dresser and tilted her chin up. There was still a mark where Klaus had drank from her...but there was something else. A long, red, blood mark was around her throat and she had no idea what it could have been from. She walked back to him and pulled his palm up. There was blood on one hand, but no injury. Whatever had happened had healed.
She looked up at him puzzled as he was, but needed to finished telling him what happened."And I tried to get away and get you to fight the compulsion. To run away with me and take me away from here. Not to bring me to that vampire monster!"
She was shaking now and he moved in again and cautiously pulled her into his arms. She didn't fight him and just let him hold her and cry against him. He stroked her hair and mumbled apologies over and over by her ear.
Then he stood still and ran his hand up the huge crack in the closet door behind her. "Did I do this?" He looked back down in her face. "This room, this is where I hurt you?" She sniffled again and nodded at him. He took her face in his hands and looked deeply into her eyes. "I am so, so, sorry baby. I would never hurt you. I would die before I hurt you." He prayed what he was saying was helping her. He bent to capture her lips and she just jolted out of his arms and turned her head away from him.
"I..I need some time Damon. Please" she pleaded. "Just some time."
He nodded sadly and pouted at her his typical flirty way. trying to get her to smile. He could give her that. Couldn't he? His feet felt like they were trapped in cement as he slowly backed out of the room. His eyes never left hers as he stared at her as he walked further and further away from her. He could give her space. He forced his head to turn around and he gripped the door knob to pull it closed behind him.
She was standing there against the closet door, tears slipping down her cheeks as she watched him walk away. She opened her mouth to say something, anything but she had no idea what to say. She forced a smile back at him before he disappeared from view and then she closed her eyes.
Damon leaned his forehead on the closed bedroom door and felt a tear slide stubbornly down his cheek. He hated crying. He hated humanity some days and this moment was definitely one of them. He lifted his head and sniffled just staring at the closed door. He put his hand on it, reaching for her, wanting her, needing her so badly.
She cringed at the sound of the click as the door shut and then sunk to the floor and put her head in her hands. She sat there for a minute just crying against her knees.
But then her head snapped up. She raced across the room and flung the door open, ready to run down the stairs after him. She nearly jumped back as she saw him standing right there in the doorway!
"Damon!" she cried out and flung herself in his arms and they crashed against the wall behind them.
He pulled her head back and held her face in his hands. He felt her tears sliding onto his hands. She was shaking her head back and forth. "Lanie, you said you needed time."
"Screw time," she mumbled, as she pulled his lips to hers and felt the warmth of his mouth against hers. "I'm not going to let him win," she whispered between frantic kisses. "I don't know what is going to happen." More kisses. "We might not be able to stop Klaus. I could still die today."
Damon shook his head back at her, cradling her head in his hands. "No baby. I'll never let that happen. I'll protect you."
She kissed him again hard and when she pulled back they were both breathless. "I know you will. But before anything else.." She kept kissing him as she needed to get this out and was mumbling against his lips. "I need you Damon, all of you. Right now, please." Her kisses were becoming more hungry, urgent and passionate. "I don't know what will happen to either of us by the end of today. But I can't live another minute without being with you. I love you, Damon so much."
He inhaled sharply and he pulled her face to his and held her neck as he plunged his tongue in her mouth. He was overjoyed and picked her up in his arms. He blurred them to the door of the other bedroom kicking it open and they fell onto the bed.
"I love you too, Lanie." He moaned as he felt her lips sucking on his neck. He bit his own lip just making sure he was not dreaming.
All the hell had been so real the last day. Could heaven be real too?
He tasted his own blood and grinned as he pulled her lips back to his again and rolled her over so he was under her. His eyes shone with love for her as he held her against him.
Finally he would get to show her how much he loved her. About damn time!