Hi. I know, I know, I haven't finish "Slipping underneath" yet, BUT, I was rewatching their scenes from s1 and I got this idea of writing a fic with some missing scenes. So it's a canon-ish story. And, if eveything goes according to plan, I will probably do the same thing with the others seasons as well.

Anyway, the first chapter is on Damon's POV. I hope you like it!

Summary: Damon met her first that night on a desert road. Stefan doesn't know it. She doesn't know it. He had been drawn to her since day one, but he's in love with Katherine... isn't he? Besides, Elena is the good girl, his brother's girl, and she would never be friends with him... would she? / We'll start on episode 1x11 Bloodlines, following until the end of s1. Canon for the scenes taken from the episodes, non canon for everything else.

DAMON POV

Damon's eyes kept drifting from the road ahead of him to the girl sleeping in the seat by his side. It amazed him how much she looked like Katherine. And it amazed him how much she didn't. It wasn't just the straight hair and the lack of curls falling on her shoulders. Even now, even asleep, there was a softness and a peacefulness he had never seen in her doppelganger.

He had been curious about her, too. Stefan wasn't the only one. It was one of the secrets he kept, like the secret about meeting her first. And, if he was being honest with himself, there had been something in her that had drawn him since that conversation they had in the middle of nowhere. She was beautiful. Absolutely stunning. And funny. Not at all frightened by the stranger who was flirting with her in a desert road. In fact, she had even flirted back.

Damon wondered what would she think about this erased memory, about this connection they seemed to share that made the air hovered thin. He wondered where that fun girl had gone, because she sure as hell wasn't the perfect princess with a perfect life and a perfect boyfriend. Wherever she was, he hoped to bring her back, even if just a little.

Of course, all of his plans failed as soon as she woke up and started accusing him of kidnapping. Really? Not even a "Thank you for saving my life and fucking rescuing me"?

Whatever.

Not that he cared.

Actually, their confrontations were always somewhat fun. The difference, this time, was that the amusement wasn't in the little fact he was a vampire playing tricks with the innocent human girl. This time, it was more like a friendly bickering. He was pushing her buttons, because he was Damon and that was what he did with most people. But also because she looked hot when she was pissed.

Surprisingly, he somehow managed to convince her to go to the Bree's with that "time out" talk. It hadn't been that hard, in the end, which meant the problems she was having in paradise must be really bad. She would've never agreed to spend a day with him otherwise. But there she was, the fun, carefree Elena that looked so much like that girl he had flirted with on the road. He felt proud of himself for being able to make her come out in just a couple of hours.

Well, it did take her two beers before she let her out, but still. He liked to think it was due to him being there too, and not just because of the alcohol.

— Bree, another one, please. — Elena asked, after emptying her second bottle. She sensed his eyes on her and said, a little too sarcastic for his own taste. — Oh, spare me the judgy look. Despise what your friend may think, you're not my boyfriend.

Damon smirked, raising his hands in a defensive gesture. — Hm, so your boyfriend gets to say how much drink you can have?

— No. — She said harshly, making him laugh. She was just too easy to tease.

He chuckled. — Well… — He started, a bit more carefully now. — As your road trip buddy, I would advise you to at least keep eating while you drink. Unless you want to end the day throwing up.

— I can hold my alcohol, thank you very much. — She said stubbornly. But, when Damon asked for a milkshake and another plate of fries, she accepted. And pickles wasn't the only good thing she didn't like, apparently ketchup on fries was a problem for her too.

Not that she was one of those girls. Nope. Elena Gilbert ate those hamburgers like a pro. And he was pretty sure she would've been able to keep it up with him in the drinking department if she had a better supernatural metabolism. However, that wasn't the case and after a few hours she had changed from the shy Mystic Falls golden girl to the outgoing smiley drunk.

Damon watched her win another round in the pool table and, shaking his head with a smile, he headed in her direction with a glass of water in his hand. Why was he taking care of her? He had no idea. All he knew is that there was this new protective instinct that seemed to rise inside of him whenever she was around. It had happened that night when he compelled her brother to forget about Vicky and it was there again when he thought about the hangover she was going to have on the next day.

Elena smiled widely at him. — Will you try to beat me in another game, Salvatore?

He laughed. — Nah. You wouldn't want me to spoil your fun, would you?

Damon noticed how she ignored her pool partners and turned herself completely to him, glancing curious at the drink in his hands. She pouted. — This is not alcohol.

— Nice deduced. — Damon nodded, adding in the softest tone he could manage, which wasn't that much difficult with her. — Just drink the water, ok? I can bring you another beer later.

She knew he was lying. It was much likely that he would never mention the beer unless she popped at the bar asking Bree for another. Still, she agreed. — Fine. — And took the glass of water, drinking much more slower than how she had drank the other drinks of the night.

She gave the glass back to him and stared at him for a moment. — Damon?

He looked at her with that eye thing that seemed to drive any other girl crazy except for her. — Yeah?

— Why are you looking after me? — She asked, suddenly looking like that shy girl again.

He wanted to give her a smartass response, he really did. But, instead of, he found himself shrugging and saying. — I like you. — Her eyes widened for a second and he felt the need to cover himself, to rebuild the forts around him that she seemed so good at bringing down. — Plus, I kidnapped you, didn't I? The least I can do is keeping you from passing out. Again.

Elena gave him a mouth-closed smile. A sincere one. He never got those ones from her. Not after she had found out he was a vampire. It warmed something inside him in a way it scared the hell out of him. Katherine was good at sending him on fire, but this cozy feeling buzzing on his chest? This was new. And he wasn't really sure if he liked it.

He cleared his throat and gestured to the pool table. — I will catch up with Bree some more. Go enjoy yourself.

And she did.

He, on the other hand, didn't talk with Bree at all. He just stood that by the bar, watching her with a curiosity that was mixed with amazement and an undeniable and almost palpable attraction.

And to say she surprised him by begging for his life is an understanding. Yes, he knew they had this natural connection that came even more naturally once she wasn't thinking about how wrong they two hanging out should be. Yet, he would've never imagined she would care to the point of saving him. He dared say she didn't know that either.

It was funny how this trip turned out to be so much more than what he expected to be in the first place. Sure, a part of him wanted to get to know her. And he hoped they could have a nice time together. But what he had said to her in the bar was true, he did like her.

Quite a lot, actually.

Elena was… She was something else.

But, mainly, she was so much more than what she portrayed herself to be. Not that she wasn't kind, responsible and caring. All of those things were still there with the fun Elena as well. The thing was that, because of her friend's and family's expectations, she was always trying to live up to them, and somewhat along the way, that made her lose a little bit of herself. Her true self.

It was a shame, really. Because everything that he saw that day was amazing. Maybe if his brother hadn't come to town, the path could've been free for him to help her lose some more. Or maybe he would give it a shot anyway. He didn't mind about his brother's presence to be honest, she just needed to let him come close. Which he doubted she would. It was very likely that she would go back to hate him again as soon as they crossed the town's borders.

Thankfully, that would only happen tomorrow because he was stinking gasoline and needed a good shower. And Elena needed to sleep. She would never admit so, but that long day of drinking and saving vampires' lives had worn her off.

— A hotel? — Elena asked with the same "are you fucking serious?" voice that she used when he had parked in front of Bree's.

Yet, for the second time, she didn't think twice before getting out of the car and following him.

Damon smirked the same way he did then, too. — I promise you don't have to share a bed with me if you don't want to.

She gave him a look.

He sighed. — Elena, I didn't compel myself a new jacket to change while I'm still smelling like gasoline. Besides, you could use some sleep.

— I'm fine.

— Yeah, of course you are. We are still sleeping here tonight, though.

She growled. — At least book us separate rooms. I have already spent too much time with you.

God, the alcohol wasn't even out of her system and she was already hiding herself behind those fucking walls.

— Whatever you say, princess. — He winked charmingly, but ended up getting them two bedrooms anyway.

He did consider pretending there was only one available to piss her off. However, he didn't want to push her too much. Not yet. Whatever this thing they had going on was, he liked it. And he was determined not to ruin it.

If he behaved like the gentleman he was raised to be all those centuries ago, then maybe she wouldn't ignore his existence once they were home. It was a long shot, he knew that, especially with Saint Stefan waiting for her to fill the girl's head with the whole "Damon is the bad guy, don't get close to him" bulshit.

To add something else to the list of how many times Elena Gilbert could surprise him, it was her that crossed the boundaries she established in the first place.

Damon was laying shirtless in his hotel bed, looking at the ceiling and imagining the stars when a knock on his door woke him up from his thoughts. He sat, repositioning himself and leaning against the headboard of the bed. — Come in.

He knew it was her from the moment he heard the knocking sound in the wood, but that didn't stop the 250 kilowatt smile from flashing on his face when his eyes met with the timid chocolate pools of Elena's.

— I thought you had already spent too much time with me. — He said teasingly, throwing back her previous words.

Elena pretended to be mad, but the smile that creeped in the corner of her lips told him a different story.

She walked inside his bedroom, shutting the door behind her, inviting herself in. — I couldn't sleep. — She admitted, with that adorable shyness that Damon realized he did like it. The "hiding herself from the world" one wasn't something he wanted to keep. But this "being around you makes me nervous" was definitely one that he enjoyed. Hell, if he didn't want to make her blush even harder.

Going for the soft approach at first, he just tapped the mattress and tilted his head to the vacant space by his side. She considered for a brief moment, all those thoughts about how this whole thing was a terrible decision crossing her mind, battling with whatever seemed to be on his favor after today. And, when the second one won, she let herself smile and climbed into the bed next to him.

Damon smiled too. He wasn't even trying to do anything, and there it was, the red on her cheeks. Her eyes were focused on her interlocked hands that rested on her lap. She was clearly waiting for him to break the silence. And he would have enjoyed driving her nuts a bit more, but the unwanted fear of having her running out of the door made him speak.

— So… — He started. His words made her stop playing with her fingers but she still kept her eyes on her hands. — What made you walk into the lion's den?

She looked at him with a soft smile. — You're not the lion, Damon.

— The king of the wild? — He puffed, that signature smirk glued to his face. — Of course I am! — Trying to wave off the fact that, when she looked at him like that, he felt his entire soul exposed, as she could see him, truly see him.

And, for the hundredth time, Damon wondered if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Did he want to be seen? Did he want to be seen by her?

She shook her head. — I don't think so.

— So what? You spent one day with me and suddenly I'm not that bad?

She just shrugged, looking away again.

Damon took the opportunity to ask her the question that had been playing on his head during the whole day. — This means you won't go back to be a bitch with me once we're back in Mystic Falls?

To his shock, she fired back a similar comment, with a renewed confidence back in her voice. — Only if you won't go back to be an asshole.

He half-smiled and activated his humor in the blink of an eye. — We will see about that.

— I guess we will.

Her tone was playful too, but there was a seriousness in her voice that he didn't miss it. And that made him swallow hard. Why did she have this weird effect on him? Was it just because she was a hearted version of Katherine? It had to be, right? Because the alternative, whatever it was, it didn't match his humanity turned off monster-like personality. Because the alternative… meant that this sweet guy she had also made come out from him today wasn't just an act. And if it wasn't, he was fucking screwed.

So? What did you think? I would really like to get so feedback. I know it's what every writer says, but it truly is what keep us going.

Have a nice week you all!