A/N: Welcome to the first chapter of Back To Haunt You. This is the sequel to Redemption so if you haven't read that then what're ya doin' here? Go – read Redemption first!
I'm posting this first chapter today and now I'm going away on a little trip for a week but I just wanted to give you all a little taster! Welcome back and I hope to hell you enjoy the ride.
I still don't own TVD and it still sucks to be me.

Empire State Of Mind

"Big lights will inspire you
Let's hear it for
New York"

Previously On The Vampire Diaries:
"So, New York" Damon mused to Stefan, "uh-huh" he replied with a laugh.

"Should be fun" they both said at the same time before following their girls to the car.

Elena's POV

Stefan had been driving for 10 minutes and they'd just passed the 'You Are Now Leaving Mystic Falls' sign when Katherine started grumbling.

"I still don't understand why we couldn't just fly" she moaned for the tenth time.

Elena burst out laughing and raised her eyebrows at Damon in an 'I told you so' manner and Stefan huffed audibly.

"It's a road trip Kat – by definition it involves roads" he explained, probably also for the tenth time.

"And let's not forget whose great idea this road trip was in the first place" Damon quipped from his seat in the back beside Elena.

"Yeah yeah" Katherine replied rolling her eyes and flicking through radio stations trying to find a song suitable to her tastes.

"How'd we draw the short straw anyway?" Damon asked Elena, indicating his cramped position in the back of Stefan's car.

"Um...we kinda blew up your little blue baby, remember?" Elena replied with a laugh "Stefan's car – Stefan's rules" she added with a grin.

"Yeah" Damon responded desolately "Remind me to buy myself a car that's better than this piece of junk when we get home please."

"Hey now brother, no hating on the classic just 'cause you set fire to your own" Stefan said with a laugh earning him a glare from Damon.

All joking aside Elena couldn't remember ever being happier. Damon was home, they had fought through hell to bring him back and here he was; sitting beside her in the flesh. A part of her for all eternity, and an eternity they had to share together now.

There were no looming threats, no impending sacrifices, no curses and no dark shadows lurking around corners waiting for them. Just an eternity of opportunities, of love, of time, of togetherness and it was more than she could have ever dreamed of.

Elena couldn't help but remember the previous road-trip she and Damon had taken together to New York – her emotions had been off and she had been...less than pleasant towards him. But she was definitely going to make it up to him this time and she was looking forward to experiencing the Big Apple as a fully switched on vampire. She'd truly embraced her new life and shed herself of her old; with Damon by her side she couldn't think of any reason why she wouldn't want to be a vampire.

He'd been right when he told her that he'd "never seen her more alive" – death had truly brought the life out in her. It had released her from the expectations and rules set by 'normal' human life, the expectations she'd held herself to, it had allowed her to embrace the darker parts of herself but to find a balance that remained pure. Something she would never have allowed herself to do if she'd stayed human. Elena knew that she really was like Damon in a lot of ways; the only difference now was that she wasn't afraid to admit it.

Damon's POV

As Elena stared out of the window watching the scenery fly by and lost in her thoughts Damon couldn't tear his eyes from her.

He'd missed her more than he ever thought possible while he'd been, dead-dead, and now he was home he loved her more than he'd ever thought possible as well. A lot of that had been her doing, watching her fade away, unable to cope with his death, watching her fight every obstacle head on to bring him home, seeing her complete lack of hesitation upon finding out that his life would be intrinsically tied to her own, and her words since he'd come back to her.

"...And I'm sorry Damon, for the things I've said to you, for the ways I've hurt you. But you need to know...you're it for me Damon. You. Are. It. No one else. It's always gonna be you Damon. Forever"

He finally understood, and believed, that Elena loved him for all he was worth and that to her he was worth everything. For the first time in his 173 years, Damon Salvatore was truly loved, she wasn't going to run away from him, she wasn't going to change her mind, she wasn't going to run back to his brother – not that she'd have much of a chance now anyway with Katherine back in the picture he thought to himself wryly. No, she was his. He belonged to her. And she belonged to him, as he'd always known that she would.

It didn't do anything to change the fact that Damon had still sent Bonnie and Caroline on what was more than likely a wild goose chase searching for a way to unbind his life from hers. No matter what she said about being unable to spend eternity without him, and he understood that, truly he did because if anything ever happened to Elena – well he wouldn't be long for this world. But Damon refused to allow his past, his mis-deeds, his wrongs to come back and hurt her. He wouldn't let that happen. So although he knew he probably didn't have a lot of choice – he had to try – for Elena.

"Are you two alive back there?" Stefan's voice broke through Damon and Elena's collective reveries earning him a laugh from both.

"Are we there yet?" Elena asked giddily.

"What are you twelve?" responded Katherine with a smirk to which Elena just stuck her tongue out.

Stefan grinned at both girls "Another ten minutes" he assured them.

"So..." Damon spoke up "What's first on the agenda? I vote for anything that doesn't involve tourist attractions and does involve copious amounts of liquor" he said with a smirk.

Elena playfully swatted him on the arm "Hey – I want to do tourist-"

"El-ay-na" Katherine interjected, "you have an eternity to do 'touristy' things – this is about fun. Y'know, shopping, drinking, partying, dancing – fun" she reiterated.

"Girl knows what she's talking about" Damon agreed with a wink at Elena.

Elena turned to Stefan for back-up but he just raised his hands briefly and shrugged his shoulders.

"Fine, fine" Elena said with a mock-glare "But you" she pointed her finger at Damon "are going to have to bring me back againto do 'touristy' things."

"Whatever you say 'Lena" Damon replied leaning over and kissing her fully on the lips, both Katherine and Stefan were forgotten as they got lost in each other's mouths, Damon's hands pulling Elena ever closer to him and caressing her back, arms, fingers tugging in her hair and eliciting small moans of pleasure from her.

All too soon the spell was broken by the incessant coughing of Stefan and giggling of Katherine.

"Yeah um...whenever you guys are...done – we're here" Stefan said with a laugh as Elena pulled back with a slightly guilty expression on her face.

Damon shrugged briefly and was out of the car in a flash, rushing around to help Elena out of her side before grabbing her in a crushing hug, he bent her down and gave her another searing kiss before setting her upright.

"Welcome to New York, baby" he said opening his arms as far as he could spread them and grinning widely.

So first chapter – don't forget to give me love. In the form of reviews. I will also accept Damon Salvatores if anyone has any of those! Love it? Hate it? Let me know! See you in a week!