Her leg was propped up on two pillows, a novel on her lap, she was trying her best to avoid the circumstances going around in her own house, initially she thought her leg was going to be no good but the it had been a 'skin wound', that touched her but hadn't caused any damage to the bone, it had been eight days to that and the trauma from the event wouldn't let her rest for a minute, even though Kol wasn't here, the traumatic memories were there every second of every day, Kol had engraved his existence into her brain. No matter how many books she read, how many people she talked to, he wasn't going to leave this way.

Just when she was going to put the book down, the door to her room opened and she saw Jeremy peek in, "Hey, are you by yourself?"

"Ahuh." She forced a smile, Jeremy was just by her side all the time, trying to distract her, she didn't want to disappoint him that it wasn't working, he came inside and walked to her bed, he sat down on the silky rose gold sheets. Her room had always been princess themed, her sheets always of soft silk, the walls a pale white with some light pink shadow thrown in, a body mirror decorated with butterfly shaped lights, a whole queen wardrobe inside with separate shelves for footwear, clothes and accessories, along with a long vanity facing the bathroom. Her family pictures on the walls along with some paintings she made before getting married and leaving this place, she had missed her room.

Jeremy jumped to sit by her side and picked her book up from her lap tossing it aside, "See that's where all that gloomy stuff comes from."

She rolled her eyes as he messed the top of her hair, "So I thought we can arrange a movie in the basement, we can do all that- what is that her highness would want to watch?"

"Arghh Jer I am not in the mood." She said turning around to set her pillow down, so she can lie down, he picked up the pillow mockingly, "Come on Elena, I'll watch your chick flicks or whatever bullshit you want me to see damn it, just talk to me."

Elena pursed her lips, "Chick flicks is the last thing I want to watch and you know why."

He huffed loudly and moved to lie down opposite to her, "Damon and Dad are still deciding about where we can move you next."

"Damon is not going to decide anything." she gritted her teeth, his name made her angry, yet he was all she wanted to hear about, any information, anything he said- whenever he'd come to see her, she'd not let him meet her, or just stay quiet the entire time he'd be standing outside, asking if he can come in, it wouldn't have happened if that day she hadn't protested that she wanted to go home with Grayson- followed by loud persuasive crying, he eventually gave in and let Grayson take her home, only to show up the next day and be boycotted this way.

"Elena stop being so emotional, do you think anyone's going to consider feelings when your life is in question?"

She looked completely firm on her statement, "I don't need his protection, and if you are here to take his side you might as well leave Jer."

Jeremy narrowed his eyes on her and though Elena hated to see him disappoint him she had no choice , she swallowed thick looking away as if asking him to go, he moved to get up from the bed, "You're my sister Elena , I can't take his 'side' or whatever is that you say, but you and I both know Damon saved you, and he's the only person who can get rid of Kol, the only reason he'll do it is because he cares about you, how much is it going to take to forgive him? What if he gives up and you lose him for good? Do you want to be the new Miranda Gilbert?"

She tensed up at Jeremy's words, clutching her sheets tightly, "You can say whatever you want to say Jeremy, and maybe you're right, but I am done being the ball that all of you are tossing, so save your whole 'speech'." He shook his head and turned around to go outside, "Elena you need to be less sensitive for once."

She refrained from replying to him, as she sunk further into the bed pushing a pillow against her head and hiding under it, as if it would block the voices, the whispers- the images from her head.

The next time she woke up, she didn't even know she had been sleeping for how long now? She didn't remember but someone was knocking at her door, Before she could ask, a voice stopped her.

"Elena it's me, Damon." Her husband's voice soft and like a plead, "Is it okay if I come in?"

She licked at her dry lips and swallowed thick, sitting up properly, a weird sweat on her forehead which she wiped off quickly, "Come in." her voice low, but she was sure he heard it, a moment later, the door knob turned and her heartbeat stilled for a second before racing faster than ever, he stepped inside the room, wearing a dark maroon V-neck with jeans, he looked relieved when he saw her, he closed the door after him and walked inside, looking around for a moment before standing by her bed side, "How are you now?" his hand on its own touches her bandage slightly, "I am okay, I just had some trouble last night." She muttered almost wanting to make less conversation, he nodded and sat down in the little space in front of her, his hand patting her foot lightly, "Gray said you had a bad fever last night."

"Just a fever Damon."

"We probably should talk about some things that happened Elena." He said suddenly breaking the silence of a few moments, she bit her lip and shook her head, "I don't think there's anything to talk about."

"Well how am I suppose to take you home if you're-"

"I am not going anywhere, this place is my home, my family lives here." she bit out each word,making sure to tell him whatshe was talking about, she was expecting him to be angry in response, but a little smile spread across his lips and he lowered his head a little so she wouldn't see it, "What are you laughing about?" she asked feeling a bit insulted.

"My apologies." He looked up, his hands in surrender, "It's just I can see it when you want to be convinced against what you say."

"You're incorrigible." She spat and ran a hand through her hair, "I am not looking to be convinced Damon, I don't want to go anywhere with you or be with you, like you said it's best if we annul this marriage."

"I am not ending this marriage." He said as if it was ridiculous to think about it, "I wouldn't risk my ass and go after a psychopath for a woman who plans on leaving me later."

She clutched the sheets again preparing herself to shout at him again, "Damon I will seriously-"

"This is not up for discussion, we are married, as an equal part of this marriage , I don't think we should part ways, so the annulment is out the window." He said with a crooked smile, she narrowed her eyes, "What's wrong with you Damon? Is this a joke to you? Our marriage, me? because that's what you acting like."

"Elena-"

She interrupted, "Just leave me alone, I don't know why I talked to you in the first place because all you did was hurt me over and over, you lied to me more times than I can count-"

"I didn't lie to you because I wanted to,I always had a reason to do it, I was forced in front of the situation-" she chuckled humorlessly, "Oh right, 'you had to', you had to make up the whole honeymoon thing to go after Klaus, so you can claim some power! While putting us both at risk, even when I told you- made you promise that you wouldn't do all this there, I find out from Kol, freaking KOL! That you lied again."

He got ahead to hold her down but she pushed him, "You promised me Damon, you looked me right in the eye and promised me that you'll do what I want." She shouted as tears filled her eyes- she pushed at his chest, "Elena I had to protect you- I know, I know I lied to you but you were being stubborn, my plan was to finish the Michaelson brothers while keeping you comfortable there."

"You could have told me, we were supposed to be a team." Her voice cracked a little, she sniffled, "I hate that you don't trust me enough to tell me about it, you have to lie to me all the time."

"Baby I know it's my fault, everything is- but don't hate me." he said softly, getting ahead he cupped her face, he wiped the tears from her face, "I don't know how we both just blew it the other night, we both know that fight meant nothing, we can easily talk about those things- the important thing is that-we can't be far away like this."

"Damon i-"

"I didn't mean anything I said, I was going crazy that day, I know I screwed up with the Rose thing, baby, but I wouldn't ever think of cheating on you, I am physically not capable enough- that's what you do to me-" he pursed his lips, "I love you and I need a chance."

Her lips parted , she felt lost in his deep blue eyes, there was this thing again that he was so good at, manipulating her by looking at her with those shining blue orbs or his, then she blinked and moved back a little, "I can't think about you right now Damon, I am hurting; I just want to get over the whole mess with Kol. I don't think I am in the position to be with-"

"I know." He interrupted, his voice soft, his hand slid down her cheek to hold her hand, he squeezed it, "And I think I should be here, listen to what's bothering you, I don't want you to go through this alone Elena, I know you need me right now and you need to accept it, no matter how stuck you are on this and for how long- I don't care, you have to let me in." his other hand moved to stroke her hair, tucking it behind her ear, the feeling of his fingers against her cold skin gave her an odd comfort as if was soothing everything down in her body by just a mere touch. "Come on Elena, what are you thinking about?"

She licked at her lips, shaking her head and dragging herself away from him, "Stop it Damon."

"Stop what?"

"You lied to me, you broke my heart , everything that happened is because of this, I have to live with Kol's deranged personality engraved into my memory, or maybe die, maybe I will die."

"Elena I'll never let that happen." He said with a deep breath, disappointed that she wouldn't let him near her, she wasn't convinced, "All your promises are just a bunch of lies to me, you wanna be there for me today and just a moment later you decide otherwise, maybe that's how your life works."

"Oh god." He said with a sigh of exhaustion as he palmed his face, "I get it, you've sworn you're never going to give me a second chance, I know you're scared- Elena I am not here to leave, I am not here so you can forgive me, I am here to make up for it, I know you don't trust me right now but you will."

"I trust you Damon, I trust you way too easily and it always ends up bad for me, right now, I feel like I am starting to believe what you say, but I don't have courage to do what you want, I feel like a burden on myself, on everyone who has to be with me and feel like they have to make me smile or laugh or anything." she pursed her lips, her eyes still watery, she rubbed her palms against them, keeping from more tears, "Just stop making me feel this way please."

She felt the bed shift under her a little and a moment later felt his arms wrapped around her as he sat aside her, pulling her to his embrace, she tried to move away for a few moments before she gave in and let him hold her, she felt his lips press to her forehead a multiple times in soft kisses, she had missed that different fragrance of his, it was like a blanket of safety around her, the way his fingers would move through her hair like a practical confession of love, she was mad at herself for being so entangled in his charisma so easily, she felt him moving back to the pillows, settling her in his arms like a baby before he got back at stroking her hair, "Shh." He murmured against her hair, she didn't even know she had been crying against his chest. "don't cry, baby." His voice at its softest, "I haven't stopped thinking about you the moment I went out that room, I didn't even know what I was thinking- telling you to go away when I knew that isn't what I wanted and that I'd always love you no matter what, I didn't even if it was love or what love was until us, you remember the day we argued and you said you were leaving- that's when I felt like I don't want you to go anywhere, I didn't want you to get hurt- or ever lose you." He pressed a kiss to her temple, "And then from that point I guess- it just was getting stronger, I use to be so reserved over this, I'd see people happy and see families, and I knew I wanted that, but I had no clue." He looked down at her, she was pressed up against his chest, looking into the air, unblinking, tears dried on her cheeks, but he could still hear the rush of her heartbeats.

"And then I'd look at you and I'd think you're my last shot at this, not because I thought I was out of options or whatever , it's just- you felt right, even though we are so different as people but I was ready to do anything in order to make you feel the way I felt for you." His hand brushed against her cheek, he lifted her chin, so she'd look at him, "But I made you feel, didn't I?"

"Like that's hard." She huffed and moved his hand out of the way, resting her head on his chest, "It's not that hard to love you."

"It's impossible." He chuckled.

"It isnt, it's just hard to deal with it. It's just very difficult to convince myself that even if you love me, there are things you love more." She breathed out, he knew what she meant, he stroked her cheek making her look up at him again, "It isn't about love, Elena, do you seriously think I love this more? I don't even think I can associate the word with mafia, but just think of how irrational that is, right now? When I have to save you."

Her lips parted slightly but she didn't say anything. as if she let it go again, "No- talk." He said in a little strict way, "Tell me."

"And what about fun Damon? You can't lie-this gives you a kick, you love being drunk and gambling with other criminals and dons, doing drugs-"

He interrupted, "I don't know when is the last time I did all that Elena, it's hardly about that, maybe sometimes I do want to go and waste a few nights like that but I don't love it more than you, I don't even love it- I am not going to go crazy without like I am going crazy without you."

A few moments of silence, and just looking at each other and in between before she rested her head against his chest, "I don't want Kol to hurt you- you wouldn't even have that psychopath in your life if it weren't for me."

"Stop blaming yourself Elena." He pressed a kiss to her hair, "He can never hurt me physically, but he did hurt me by hurting you and I am not letting him go for that, not this easy"

"Damon please. "she pleaded, "he's crazy."

"Well I am crazier, as soon as you get better and I take you to a safer place, Kol is going to meet his very asked for punishment, I am going to make him beg for his death."

She felt shudders from his words, the way his voice would change from the topic alone just gave her chills, but then she remembered Kol, how insane he has been, "Whatever we might be right now, I don't want you to get in trouble, not even if it's for me, he isn't worth it Damon. Not worth losing you." She swallowed thick, listening to her slightly shaky voice, he smiled a little, "You won't lose me"

"Another promise." She huffed.

"A fact." He said cheekily and cupped her face, His eyes on her lips, she felt her cheeks go crimson from his gaze on her lips, his thumb brushed against her lower lip parting them and she sighed, giving in to him, his mouth crashed on hers, parting slightly only to kiss her again, his hand moved to the back of her neck, holding her still as his tongue rolled on her lower lip demanding entry, she moaned opening her mouth for him and clutched his shirt in her fists when his tongue touched her , moving with hers slowly- she knew this was going to happen, once she lets him see her- he'd break her this way and as if she was dying to be broken this way, why was she so desperate for him and his love. When in the world did he became a necessity, she immediately felt alarmed and pulled back- he pecked her, cupping her face again, "Damon please-"

"What?" his voice in whispers, "Stop pushing me Elena, wasn't all that enough torture?"

"I didn't intend on it." She said firmly, "Just-"

"I am not going this way Elena, I can't just fuck up anymore, now that I am sure, you're the only one that I want." He stroked her cheek, "I can wait until you want to-but don't shut me out this way."

A knock on the door, made them pull away a little and he looked back to see Grayson leaning in a little, "Damon I need to talk about something."

He bit his lip, not knowing if Elena would even let him in again, "Uh okay, coming right out Gray."

He turned to her and stroked her cheeks, "I'll be right back, love, I am going nowhere until this is okay."

"Well maybe you might just have to stay forever." She lied back on her pillow and pulled the sheet on her. Damon sighed and leant down kissing her forehead, she pushed at his chest slightly, "Don't."

He didn't respond anyway, just looked a little defeated in the moment before turning around to go, and the moment he left, she started feeling anxious and guilty again- why was she purposely trying to hurt him, reject him?" his sad eyes did things to her.

Grayson walked out of the corridor but Damon stopped him, "I have to go back in there, can we finish here?"

"How did she let you in?"

"See that's a lucky card and before it gets invalid please just finish with whatever-"

Grayson interrupted, "Kol was detected last night, he and his brother, Elijah met I think they are trying to get us to think that Kol is back in touch with them."

"Well that cant save him." He said confidently, "I'd also prefer to kill them all together, it'll save us some time and all the fucks we'd give anyway."

"Damon you can't just launch on them, we need a plan. "Grayson said firmly, Damon shook his head, "There is no plan, it's simple; I am going to make that motherfucker regret his existence and both his brothers are going to experience the very process, he fucked with my head all he wanted, but when he brings my wife into the game, I am not making any negotiations."

"so what do you think we should do? Where to start this?"

"I don't want to think about it right now, Elena is upset, I can kill them any day, but right now I don't want her to be alone even for a minutes." Grayson sighed and nodded, "You probably should- I'll check on her later too."

Damon ran a hand through his hair, "Gray- I think Elena appreciates us spending time with her more than anything." "That's not going to keep her alive Damon. He sounded angry in a way, but Damon shrugged it off, Elena was more important than anything to him, he had kept her on a lower priority for a while but now he felt like no one was worth his time like Elena.

He went back to the room, thankfully she let him in and when he got inside he knew why she didn't protested, she was asleep. Her hair spread on the pillow and she was clutching one, taking slow breathes that he could see over the blanket, he sat down on the bed, how weird was that he could watch her this way for days and not get tired- how she had become the only shot at happiness he didn't know, but he knew she was his saving grace, his beautiful angel, exactly what he had anticipated for." He moved forward stroking her leg up to her waist. She moved a little murmuring, "Damon? Come here." he was sure she was talking in her sleep because she chuckled, he got in bed beside her and wrapped his arms around her, she shivered, a little in surprise- but let her head rest against his chest. He knew he'd fall in love with her the second he saw her, she was too perfect for him, for a guy like him- she smiled as he kissed her forehead and this time she murmured, "I like that."

"I know you do baby." He chuckled thinking about how lucky he was to be with her this way, soon he'll fix all of their problems.

(-HMHMHMHMHMHM-)

SHORT CHAPTER UPDATE; I am updating all, are you guys here? did you like it? Hate it? What's up?

REVIEW.