Hello there beautiful people, I'm so thrilled you're enjoying this story so much. I know that Damon might not be the best of men in this one but I hope you can learn to love the good parts of him. Thanks so much for reading and your kind words, they really make my days better.

Enjoy!

Oh little ghost, you see the pain

But together we can make something beautiful,

So take my hand and perfectly,

We fill the gaps, you and me make three,

I was meant for you, and you for me.

.

.

She tilted her head back and allowed the warm rays of the sun to caress the skin of her face. Her feet moved against the soft white sand and were kissed by the fresh, clear, blue water, the small bikini she wore did nothing to hide her figure but she did not feel self-aware, contrary she felt more comfortable in her own skin than she had in a while.

Damon had woken her up at three am that day with the crazy idea of driving all the way to Rincon del Mar so they could enjoy the day on the beach in what was one of his favorite places in Colombia. They arrived early in the morning and ate arepas made of white corn and filled with cheese while they drank coconut water and chatted animatedly over the sound of Calvin Harris coming out of the car's sound system.

"Won't your grandpa miss us?" She has asked among bites of her food, getting a shrug back in response and his word telling her the trip had been his grandpa's idea.

Of course, Elena couldn't complain, after weeks filled with stressful exams and the sometimes oppressing nature of New York City, there was no better balm for her soul than the seashore paradise Damon had brought her to.

Rincon del Mar was a small fisherman village that hosted the kindest and most serviceable people of all Colombia, It had been Damon's father's favorite place in the country and the young boy had learned to love it with as much passion.

"It has always marveled me, how the water can be so blue," She whispered when she felt him standing behind her, the heat of his body, making her feel utterly aware of her own "The water in here has always reminded me of your eyes" A playful smile was written across her face as she turned around and stared into said eyes.

"You should be a poet Bonita" He answered with a smirk before lowering down his face to hers and nuzzling her nose. She breathed him in deeply and took her hand to the scarred part of his face, she liked to feel that part of his skin, to reassure herself there was a part of him that was vulnerable to her.

Couldn't he tell?

Didn't he realize the way her skin broke in goosebumps whenever he touched her in ways that were more fraternal than they both wanted to acknowledge? Couldn't he see the burning lust in her eyes as she stared at his bare chest? Couldn't he tell how much she longed to join their bodies on this beautiful beach and become one with him once and for all?

Couldn't he see her as other than the sister she really wasn't?

"Are you hungry yet?" He asked as he pulled his face away from hers and trained his eyes in the clear blue water, a vein throbbing along his jaw and both fists balled at his sides.

Elena was about to tell him she wasn't and that she wanted to enjoy the beach a little longer when her stomach grumbled and made him laugh in response, the tension easing out of him immediately.

"Come on, I'll feed you and then we can continue with the beach"

He grabbed her hand and took her to the spot where their things were at, he grabbed a T-shirt for himself and tossed her a beach wrap that matched her bikini before heading to a small restaurant at the edges of the beach, whose owners were old friends of the Quinteros, Damon's maternal family.

"What you'll be having this time?" Elena asked eagerly as she observed Damon over the rim of her menu.

"I think I'll start with the Cazuela de Mariscos," He said, referencing to a delicious soup made of seafood and coconut milk "And will continue with fried fish and coconut rice. What about you?"

Elena's mouth watered at Damon's selection, if there was one thing she loved most about Colombia other than the beautiful beaches was the food "I'll have Bagre frito and I was thinking you should share your soup with me because I don't think you should be eating that much"

Damon threw his head back and laughed "Of course Bonita, I'll share anything you want with you" She smiled broadly at him and took her attention towards the waiter, who was now standing at their table and waiting for their order.

They sat in silence while they waited for the waiter to bring their drinks. Elena closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair, a look of utter pace crossing her features as she listened to the sound of the seagulls and the buzz of people around her.

"It's like a small part of paradise" She whispered more to herself than to him. She wondered idly if the pace that invaded her at the moment was in fact caused by the place or by the man in front of her, who always managed to center her when she needed it the most.

He didn't answer her comment and no words were exchanged until the waiter arrived and placed a Lulada in front of each of them, a fresh beverage based on a Colombian fruit, which Elena dawned almost entirely in less than five minutes.

Damon sipped from his drink quietly while he looked at her with sparkling eyes, an amused expression clouding his face as he stared at her. "When we will be heading back?" She asked once she was able to put her glass down.

Damon placed his glass down on the table as well and leaned back in his chair, mimicking her posture, "I was thinking tomorrow after midday, so we can be there by noon"

"We'll be having dinner with your grandpa again?"

"Uhu" He answered and his eyes seemed to acquire a faraway look "I also have some things that need to be dealt with back in Cali, so I won't be able to spend the day with you on Sunday"

Elena bit her lip as she debated the proper way to answer, choosing not to stay with the doubt and ask what she really wanted "What kind of things?"

His posture stiffened, his face losing that easy going expression he had been sporting minutes ago "Work things"

Elena sighed sadly as she stuck her finger in her beverage and swirled the liquid around "You used to tell me all about your work things before"

"Perhaps now I think you're too innocent to know them"

Elena chuckled darkly, a sound that resembled the tone he used on occasion "Oh please Damon" Her eyes narrowed at him "Don't tell me you have remorse now?"

His eyes clouded over and Elena didn't have to think much to know which memory was playing in his mind, while always being her savior Damon had also been her executioner. In the world they moved in, people called him the reaper and none of them knew what that meant better than her.

Damon released a short laugh and shook his head in exasperation "You do know how to get under my skin Elena"

An insolent smile painted itself on her lips as she looked at him "It's a gift" She answered and was interrupted by the waiter arriving with their food. The mood seemed to relax again once their food was on the table, both had been really starving and dug into their food almost immediately.

"Is there anything special you want to do on Sunday?" He asked after a couple of minutes as he took a spoonful of the soup he had ordered and raised it to his lips, "I can have Vanessa and some of the guys go with you wherever you like"

Elena closed her eyes and moaned in delight at the taste of the soup, when her eyes opened she found him staring at her intently, masked lust shining in those ocean spheres. Something lit up inside her at the expression on his face and she had to fight the urge to smirk "Nope, I think I'll just enjoy the pool and catch up on my reading"

A witty retort was about to come out of his lips when a group of young people passed them by and placed a flyer on their table, Damon took the paper and raised an eyebrow as he read the content.

"Feel like going?" He asked as he handed the flyer to Elena.

Her face transformed into a gleeful expression as she read the colorful flyer that announced a party at the beach later that day "You know it's a party" She said "People dance there"

He rolled her eyes at her "I know what people do at parties"

Elena laughed, remembering how much Damon hated to dance and how bad he actually was at it "You'll dance with me then?"

He snatched the flyer out of her hands and placed it face down on the table before reaching for her and grabbing her hand, "Is there anything I wouldn't do for you, Len?"

Her heart filled with joy at the look on his face and for the first time wondered if her dreams could be more possible than she believed.

Elena fluffed the short waves her hair was in before grabbing the pair of gold hops that rested on top of the nightstand and putting them on. The sun was setting outside her windows and the palm trees rustled with the force of the wind, the smell of salt and the sound of the waves crashing reached her, reminding her she was a long way from Kansas.

She grabbed her favorite nude lipstick out of her makeup bag and went to the dresser to apply it. She was wearing a flower printed turquoise summer dress and had chosen to wear a pair of white sandals since she didn't want the pair of heels she had brought to get ruined in the sand.

A knock on the door interrupted her when she was applying her favorite perfume, a wide smile spreading across her face because she was absolutely sure who was behind that knock.

What did it say about her relationship with Matt that she was more excited about going to a party with her step-brother than she was about doing anything with him? What did it say about her that she chose to fly to Colombia, following him like a lost puppy instead of staying home and meeting her boyfriend's family?

Not wanting to dwell much on those thoughts, Elena took one last look at herself in the mirror and headed in direction of the door, eagerness filling her body and almost making tremble with excitement.

"My my miss Gilbert, you have certainly grown up" His tone was playful and his comment was meant to come out as a joke, but Elena could see the way his eyes had stranded on her cleavage for a little while and that made the place between her legs to awaken.

"You don't look so bad yourself Mr. Salvatore" She answered while she allowed her eyes to roam the length of him "Though I think I might be spotting a few gray hairs over here" She ghosted her fingers over his hair as she spoke, earning a deep belly laugh in response.

"Mock me all you want cara (darling)" He told her, a trace of vulnerability appearing on his face "We both know it's not the gray hairs what will keep the women away"

Elena couldn't be sure if he was being honest, but decided to joke about it, knowing it had been years since Damon had gotten over the scars on his face "Don't play the insecure man card, we both know women would flock to you even if you had the entire face covered in scars"

She expected for him to laugh in response, but instead, he only gave her a tight smile and offered his arm so they could start walking "You underestimate the impact that having a face like me can have"

A trace of something Elena hadn't seen in a such a long time crossed his face and she instantly regretted the light-hearted comment she had made earlier "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have—"

He shook his head and bumped his shoulder playfully against hers "I was joking Elena"

She knew now that he hadn't been, but decided not to answer this time, to allow the subject to be dropped so it wouldn't end up spoiling their night.

Her arm was linked with his the entire walk to the beach, the sound of lively music and people's laugh filled their ears as they walked closer to the side of the beach that had cocktail tables scattered around.

Elena breathed in the saltiness of the air and raised her face towards the sky, "It's like another world, right?"

"I've always had the sense we New Yorkers are a bit uptight"

Elena laughed as she lowered her face and faced him "You are not New Yorker"

He gasped in fake outrage, taking a hand to his heart in a dramatic gesture "Am I not?"

Elena giggled "No, you are a bit of everything," She said as she stared deep into his clear yes "A big mixture of everyone"

The atmosphere seemed to shift around them. The temperature rose and the smell of him became intoxicating, his heavy hooded eyes looked down at her in a way they hadn't done before and she felt every part of her trembling under his scrutiny "That should make exotic, right?" He whispered as he moved his head closer to hers.

Elena was short of breath, her heart was beating a mile a minute inside her chest as she looked up at him "You are exotic" She told him before sliding her hand all the way down his arm until it reached his own hand, "Come dance" She told him as she pulled him towards the center of the beach, where people were gathered following the music rhythm.

The song playing had a slow and sensual beat, and their bodies found the way around their movements without an issue. His hands settled on her hips as she swayed to the beat and he tried to follow her lead.

A passing by waiter offered them sugary drinks with vodka and rum and they accepted them without hesitation, Elena moaned as the cold liquid slid down her throat.

"You see," Elena said as her eyes moved across the people around them "Women staring at you at every turn"

And they were. They openly gawked, the scars on his face which should have made him less appealing to the world seemed only to fascinate people, even more, they gave him a hard edge, an air of danger people was unable to resist.

Damon chuckled low in his throat, his head leaning down until he could whisper in her ear "Maybe they're looking at you"

Her eyebrow rose for a second before a wicked smile appeared on her face and she stared at him from underneath her lashes "I wouldn't mind"

His face darkened "My, my Elena Gilbert." One of his hands rose towards her face and he placed a strand of her hair behind her ear, the heat of his touch branding itself on her skin "What happened to the innocent little girl?"

She chuckled and started tracing her forefinger along his collarbone, their bodies still moving to the gentle beat of the music "She stayed behind with her dolls"

"They were pretty good dolls"

Mischief danced in her eyes "But I don't need them anymore" She said before downing the rest of her drink and placing it on a cocktail table behind her.

Damon followed her lead and then pulled her closer into his body, his breath caressing her skin, the smell of rum intoxicating "You've come a long way since the Caribe Coolers"

"I like stronger drinks now," She said "Though just as sweet" Her mouth searched his and their lips ghosted over each other for a brief second. It wasn't unusual, they were used to kissing each other since she played with dolls, but none of their previous touches ever held the sensuality or the yearning this one-touch did.

"Elena—"

Her palm pressed open against his chest, his straining bulge surging against her stomach as they continued moving their bodies to the music "Can't you feel it, Damon?" She whispered before she took her lips to his neck, her tongue peeking out to lick a patch of skin there "Can't you feel me?"

Her hands moved towards the waistband of his jeans and he seemed to snap out of it. Regret and shame clouded his eyes as he pulled away and looked down at her "We should go"

Elena suddenly felt very cold, her eyes darted to the people around them who were oblivious to her inner outburst and suddenly felt very alone. "Damon…"

He didn't answer her, but instead took her hand and started leading her back to their hotel, no words were exchanged during their walk back and Elena never felt more broken than she did at that moment. She hated herself for ruining what had been a magical moment and wished she could go back in time and do things differently.

"I'm sorry," She told him as she stood at the door of her room, her eyes unable to meet his.

He breathed in deeply and kissed her forehead "Go to sleep Bonita" He murmured before turning around and disappearing down the hall.

Elena went inside and collapsed against her closed door, tears streaming down and her face and her body sadder and more tired than ever before.

She didn't manage to sleep one bit that night, tossing and turning until the sun rose in the sky once again. She got up, took a shower and dressed herself comfortably for the drive back, dreading the minute she would have to face Damon again.

He didn't seem to pay attention to her, though, he loaded their bags into his car and checked them out without uttering a single word to her. Elena realized at that moment that having someone yelling at you was a hundred times better than having him ignoring you.

The music on the car's stereo filled the silence between them, but the air of discomfort could be cut down with a knife, she shifted nervously in the seat and twisted her hands on top of her lap "Are you mad at me?" She asked after a few minutes of debating whether she should say something or not.

His eyebrows rose in surprise and he gave her a quick glance "What? No, of course not," His face softened and he abandoned the gear shift in order to grab her hand "Something just came up, would you mind arriving home alone?"

Elena shook her head in denial and felt her heart sinking, she had ruined the entire trip with her actions and she hated herself for it. "No, of course not," She answered and released her hand from his grip, she had wanted to shout so many things to him, but remained quiet instead, like she had done so many times before.

Elena woke up with a gasp.

She had been dreaming of fire, a house on fire and the sound of her mother's voice.

She took a hand to her chest and tried to steady her beating heart, sweat marred her forehead and the ceiling fan in her bedroom didn't seem to be enough for the heat she was feeling. Colombia was beautiful, but she wasn't as used to the humidity and the heat as she would have liked.

The clock on the bedside table told her it was past three in the morning, she threw the covers off herself and stood up with the intention of going to the kitchen for a glass of fresh Jamaica Water.

Her bare feet padded the cold tile floor of the hallway and unable to resist her curiosity, she peeked briefly into Damon's room, to confirm her suspicion that he had yet to come home.

He had dropped her off at his grandpa's state earlier in the afternoon and had disappeared after that, letting her worry about his whereabouts, though it didn't take a genius to know where he was and what he was doing.

After a little trip to the kitchen, Elena sat down at the top of the stairs with her glass of the flavored water and waited for him, like she had done so many times in the past like she did that first night when she realized monsters lived among them too.

She had been ten years old and he had been shy of fifteen, she had been unable to sleep that night because he hadn't been there to read her a story so she had sat down at the stairs of her home in New York and waited hours and hours until his return.

His hair had been disheveled and his body bruised, the angry scar that marred his skin had stuck out more than ever before and his hands and clothes had been stained with what appeared to be fresh blood.

"Damon?" Elena had asked in a tiny voice before his face swirled towards her and he pinned her down with a stare.

"What are you doing up Elena?" He nearly hissed, his eyes of a manic blue she hadn't ever seen before.

Her lower lip trembled as she twisted her hands in front of her, "I wanted you to read me a story"

"Not now"

Elena frowned as she stood up, "What happened to your clothes?"

"Not now Elena!" Damon growled, "Go back to bed, and don't make me repeat myself!"

She didn't give him time to say anything else, she dashed to her room, her body trembling in fear because she had been sure that boy in front of her that night hadn't been her brother.