Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and The Vampire Diaries. They belong to J.K. Rowling and L.J. Smith. I am writing this just for fun and no money is being made.

AN: I don't have a beta, so I would like to apologize for my mistakes in advance. Please do not copy this story.

WARNING – This chapter contains lemon. If you are underage or you do not wish to read it, you can skip the particular parts in Italic.

Salvatore Boarding House

Next Morning

She gasped loudly as soon as she regained consciousness. Her eyes snapped open, her body feeling drained like she had been starving for years. She tried to breathe, but it didn't work, instead, she was suffocating. Katherine's hand went to her throat as she shot up from the ground and her eyes darted around wildly, trying to make sense of her circumstances. Everything around her was blurry and she felt like she was dying once again. Gasping for breath, she blurred towards the door, only to collide with an invisible wall. Shaking her head to dispel the dizziness, she tried again but couldn't stop the pained scream that escaped her when something burned her. She fell on the ground choking when she saw that her hand which had touched the invisible wall was burnt badly. It throbbed with pain, just like the rest of her body.

Her head snapped towards the door when she heard a noise, only to see the witch staring at her statically.

"I can't… I can't breathe." She wheezed out, struggling for breath.

"You haven't been invited in," Athena informed offhandedly.

Dark spots danced across her vision as Katherine looked from the witch towards Damon, who was standing beside Athena, his arms crossed across his chest. Knowing that he was the only one who could get her out, she begged, "Pl… ease…"

"Who is helping you?" Athena ignored and asked instead, "It'll be easier if you'd talk… or we can stay here for as long as you want. It's not as if you're going to die."

Katherine shot her a glare and would've loved nothing more than snapping her neck if she had been able to. She closed her eyes before choking out, "I'll tell you. Let me go… and I'll tell you!"

"I'd be stupid to let you go. I invite you in and you tell me who it is or this would be nothing in comparison to what I'll do to you." Athena stated calmly.

"Fi…ne!" Katherine almost shouted, gasping for breath.

As soon as the witch invited her in, she took in a huge lungful of air. Now that she could breathe again, her first instinct was to rush out, but she was locked. Glaring at the witch angrily from her prison, who merely arched an eyebrow at her mockingly as if to say 'you done?'.

"Who was it?" Athena asked again.

Katherine scowled before replying, "I don't know."

The next thing happened so fast, that it startled both the vampires. Withing seconds Athena had her wand pointed at Katherine, who fell on her knees with a scream. It didn't take long before Stefan rushed to their side, hearing the commotion and gaped at the scene in front of him. He shared a glance with Damon, who himself looked worried.

Athena's eyes were blazing as she focussed at Katherine, who was now lying on the ground, sobbing and muttering something under her breath.

"Athena?" Damon whispered as he touched her shoulder cautiously.

Her eyes didn't waiver from the hunched form on the ground, but she stated, "Don't worry. I'm not using any illegal curse. I'm just making her relive her most painful memories until she decides to open her mouth."

Her tone was so cold that she seemed like a different person altogether, making both the brothers shiver involuntarily.

Tears dripped down Katherine's cheeks as she whimpered, "Please! Please… Please… No! Please don't!"

Athena cancelled the spell and asked again, "You ready to talk now?"

Katherine blinked, looking around as if just realising where she was, before looking straight at Athena and said vacantly, "I don't know his name, but he wanted to get rid of you."

Athena pursued her lips, a frown marring her features as she asked, "Why would you help a stranger? You don't even know me. What's in it for you?"

"Frankly? Running for your life becomes too much after 500 years." Katherine shrugged, "…and I'd prefer to live the rest of my life peacefully. If by killing one little witch would do that, then why not?"

"Wait…" Stefan frowned. "What does Athena have to do with all of this?"

Katherine rolled her eyes, but before she could reply, Athena answered, "The man promised to take care of my dad in exchange for me."

Katherine didn't reply, which was confirmation enough.

"How did he look? The man?" Athena asked urgently. "Was there a mark on his forearm?"

"I don't know," Katherine said as she stood up. "Now let me go."

Athena's eyes turned cold, her hand tightened on her wand and she muttered angrily, "Petrificus Totalus!"

Katherine's arms and legs snapped together and she fell on the ground, stiff as aboard. Her eyes widened when she realised that she was stuck before meeting the green ones when Athena kneeled next to her.

"Protego."

The words were a mere whisper – but suddenly Athena fell back with a piercing scream. The scar which hadn't bothered her since Voldemort's fall was burning more than it did before. Her hand went to the scar on her forehead and she screwed her eyes shut, trying to reign in her screams. She felt familiar arms picking her up and hushed words she couldn't make out, but when she opened her eyes minutes later, she was on the couch with Damon looking at her worriedly.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

Athena didn't know how to answer because she was sure the cause of the pain. Damon's hands were in her hair, holding her close, trying to search for the cause of her pain. She had no idea what to do, but she hid her face in Damon's chest, breathing his scent in, trying to calm herself. She didn't know how long she stayed like that, but she was thankful for the temporary silence.

It was broken when Stefan handed her a cup of tea and she nodded her thanks.

"What happened?" He asked quietly.

She was still shaking slightly and her voice trembled when she looked at the Salvatore's and whispered, "Voldemort. I think he's back."

Evening, The Same Day

Mikaelson Mansion

Athena eyed the originals warily, looking for any signs of an angry outburst, especially her dad. His face was stony just like the others. Other than that, she couldn't tell what he was thinking, but if she had to guess, it would be along the lines of killing someone.

No one spoke for a long time, staring at her with expressions that were way too similar, until Elijah spoke, eying her dubiously, "So, you're telling us that the boy you collided with the other day… was Voldemort? He is back? And Katerina is somehow involved?"

"I think so, yes." Athena nodded.

Klaus repeated perplexed, "You think so?"

"I… yes." She gulped, knowing that she will have to tread carefully or her plan would go down the drain. "I tried to see her memories, but it didn't work. I know it seems far-fetched, but I just… I have this feeling."

"Give me one good reason, why shouldn't I kill her?" Unsurprisingly, this came from her dad.

"I still need to know who helped her and Wes. She's the only one who knows and it's not as if she can escape. She's locked in Salvatore's basement and my wards are strong." She replied easily.

"If we talk to her, darling, she'll be much more… cooperative." Kol said with a sinister smile, choosing his words carefully.

"You'll kill her even before I find out anything," Athena said tiredly. "That's why I need your blood. We share the same bloodline, so it'll be easier for me to do the spell."

"What spell?" Kol asked sharply, which surprised her because she had never seen him this serious.

Athena looked at the four originals staring at her with narrow eyes, looking ready to burn the world. It was now or never. She took a deep staggering breath and replied, "Uh… It takes out the power of a host completely, turning them into a muggle."

"And why do you need the blood?" asked Rebekah.

"As I said we share the same bloodline. Your being immortal will make it easier for me to finish it. Once he doesn't have his powers, he'll be useless." She tried to explain before adding hurriedly, "We don't even need to be in the same room and Hermione will be helping me."

"Where exactly did you find this spell?" It was Elijah who asked, his tone calm and collected, but to her, it seemed like a persona.

"A book." She replied evasively.

"A book?" Kol questioned, "Can I see it?"

Athena knew that he had been a wizard before and would find out what the ritual did. She couldn't afford them interfering, but refusing would make them even more suspicious, so she said instead, "Hermione has it. She'll be there as well."

Klaus's voice broke through their conversation. He stared right at her and asked, "And that's it? You finish the spell, kill the boy and it's done?"

For the first time in her life, Athena felt like a child who was about to get scolded by her parents. It scared her that he might do something to stop her and she'll lose him. To her, it felt like he was looking right through her lie, but still, she nodded because, for some reason, she couldn't find her voice.

He stared at her for what felt like hours before nodding. "Alright."

Three heads snapped towards her and her own eyes widened at how easy it was, but Elijah said warningly, "Niklaus…"

"…but on one condition." Klaus finished, making her slump. Of course, it wouldn't be easy. She should've known, so she waited, but his next words felt like someone had poured cold water all over her.

"I'll be right there when you do the spell."

Athena's eyes widened comically and she gulped. This, she hadn't anticipated and she couldn't even nod as father and daughter stared at each other.

"Is there a problem, sweetheart?" Klaus asked innocently, but there was an underlined note of something serious in his tone, making her realise that if she said no, the whole plan would go down the drain and she couldn't afford it.

"No… no problem. Of course, you can be there." She replied with a half-smile.

Before Midnight, The Same Day

Mystic Falls, Somewhere in The Woods

Hermione stared wide-eyed before gasping, "You did what?"

"I had no other choice," Athena stated calmly.

"No other choice?!" Hermione shouted outraged. "It's worse than dark magic! Bringing a soul back? Even I haven't heard of this before! Do you know…"

But before Hermione could continue, Athena interrupted, "I know, alright! I know, Hermione, but you have to understand that I couldn't find anything else. Trust me, I tried. I searched for everything I could. This is the only way. I know that he's back and I have to do something! I won't let him play with our lives again!"

Hermione looked at the book in her hands – the ritual that still needed to be performed and shook her head. "This is death you're talking about. We can't defeat him." She finally muttered.

"I know, but don't you see? If we complete the ritual successfully, he will have to listen to us. He will be forced to do what I say… and I just want him to leave my family alone." Athena took a deep staggering breath and continued, "Bringing him back was the only way. We share the same bloodline and together, we'll be powerful."

Hermione didn't say anything, but looked down at the book in her hands, reading the pages marked as Athena continued, "The blood moon will occur during a lunar eclipse and the direct sunlight will be blocked by the earth's shadow. The ritual should be finished before it starts. That's why I need you to cast the spell while I perform the ritual. Once it's done, I'll be able to channel his powers and end it for good."

Hermione looked at Athena, a frown marring her face and said, "But you've never done something like this before."

"I know I can finish this. Just think about it, Hermione. I want all of this to end and this is the only way." Athena stated desperately.

"He's been dead for a long time. Do you trust him?" Hermione asked dubiously.

Athena nodded. "He's family and has agreed to help me. We can do this together." She did believe that he would help her. The spirit she had talked to wasn't maleficent, at least it didn't seem so.

Hermione stayed quiet for a long time, staring at her friend before asking with a sigh, "Even if you do this, it won't be enough. Even with his help… you'll still need more power."

"Don't worry about it." Athena shrugged.

"Athena…"

"No Hermione." Athena stopped her and said seriously, "I am not going to risk you or the baby. I want you to finish the spell and leave. I don't want you to be a part of any of this. Do you understand me?"

"You can't ask me to stay out of this…"

"No! I would've done it myself if I could've, but I can't and I don't trust anyone else. Please… If something happens to you… I can't lose you too." Athena looked straight into the brown eyes and finished with a whisper. "Please. just… trust me. I can handle this."

It took a long time for her to answer, but Hermione nodded. She took a breath, bracing herself and asked, "What about the blood?"

She didn't reply at first but sighed. "I'll get it before the full moon."

Hermione's eyes widened with surprise and she gaped. "They know and they're letting you do this?"

"I had to tell them something. How do you think I was going to get their blood?" Athena winced. The discussion had gone better than she had thought, but only because she hadn't told her family the truth. She couldn't see it going well… with either of the original. Now she just had to find a way to get the blood without any of them being present at the time of the ritual.

"Athena?" Hermione frowned as another thing occurred to her and asked slowly, "…what about the sacrifice?"

Athena closed her eyes, before taking a breath and met Hermione's gaze unflinchingly.

It didn't take the other witch long to decipher the meaning behind her friend's words and she gasped, horrified and shouted, "YOU CAN'T!" She shook her head and added with a trembling voice, "You would die!"

Athena sighed before answering, "As I said, I don't have much of a choice. There is no other way."

"No!" Hermione shook her head frantically, "No… we can… we'll search for something else. There has to be…"

"Hermione…" Athena whispered sadly, trying to convey her thoughts without words.

The brown-haired girl pulled Athena for a tight hug without another word. They stayed like that for some time before Hermione pulled back and looked at her with so much pity that Athena turned her gaze away. This is how most of the world looked at her and she couldn't stand it. So, she stood up hastily and said, "Let's go. We have to finish it before the blood moon. We only have 4 days and we need all these objects which will be used before that."

"What about Damon?" Hermione whispered, making Athena freeze. "He loves you."

"He'll be fine." She replied, leaving no room for discussion.

He has to be because she was doing this for him, for her family and for everyone she loved. She wouldn't let anyone harm the people she cared about even if it was death himself. She was scared, more than she was before she went to the Forbidden Forest because she had no reason to live at that time, but now… now she had people who were her family, people who loved her and Damon.

She didn't want to think about him or what would happen when he found out what she was going to do. She couldn't.

This wasn't about her. This was about the fate of people she loved… the fate of the world and would happen if Voldemort won.

If something she did could stop him and death together, then it was worth it… Even if it ended with her death.

Next Morning

Salvatore Boarding House

She didn't even remember falling asleep after returning. Athena knew she was getting a bit obsessed about the ritual, but what choice did she have? The last thing she remembered was settling on the couch in front of the fireplace and had woken up in Damon's bed, even though he wasn't in the room. It was just before noon and she felt tired, so taking a hot bath seemed like a good idea.

Here she was, with her head bowed against the shower tiles, hot water cascading over her tense limbs as she thought about everything she needed to do before the full moon. Even with her eyes closed, she felt Damon's presence behind her. There was no need to turn around to see him shedding his clothes as he made his way towards the shower, wordlessly stepping behind her.

Sweeping aside the wet hair from the back of her neck, he nuzzled her throat before moving his mouth to suckle on a particularly sensitive part of her throat, enjoying the way she gasped and tilted her head to give him easier access. His hands slid up and down her sides as he slid his tongue out, blazing a trail of open-mouthed kisses down her throat. One of his hand drifted lower and he grazed her clit with the lightest feathery touch, while the other one moved to caress her breasts softly, making her whimper.

"Damon…"

His name on her lips and listening to her soft sigh of pleasure drove him crazy. Damon was uncertain what the future held for the two of them, but one thing he was sure of – he wouldn't let anything happen to her. He was truly happy for the first time in his miserable existence and he wasn't about to let it slip through his fingers.

He was surprised when Athena's hand fisted in his hair, she tilted her head back and with a quick, hard pull yanked his head and plunged her mouth onto his. He returned the kiss, his tongue fighting hers as he pushed her against the cold tiles. One of his hands drifted lower, skirting the side of her body, trailing down towards her hip, while the other pulled her against him, fingers playing with her nipples which were already hard.

Damon forced her legs apart with his knee, giving his hand enough room to slip between her thighs, finding her wet and ready for him. He pulled his head back to suckle against the sensitive skin of her throat and Athena's eyelids fluttered shut as she pressed her face further against the tiles, her fingers clutching at it seeking anchor as the hot water continued to cascade down her back. He stroked her teasingly for a few moments and rubbed the slick all over, massaging it into her pussy. He pushed two of his fingers inside, making her moan as euphoria spread through her like the warmth after drinking liquor.

"You make me lose control," Damon murmured, his breath tickling her ear. "I want to mark you. I want you to forget everything but me. I want you to stay with me forever."

She missed the look in his eyes or how his sole focus was on 'forever'. His words and soft-touch reignited the desire within her and all she wanted was to feel him inside. He was the only one able to make her forget every dark thought. She wanted him in every way imaginable before he was lost to her forever.

Her hips began to move in tiny circles along with his fingers while pushing back against the hard cock pressed between her ass cheeks. She heard him chuckle, but she was too far gone to notice anything but her need for him. In a bold move that surprised them both, she turned her head back and wrapped her fingers around his cock.

Damon couldn't help but moan and his cock twitched as she pressed her thumb over the head of his cock and smeared the pre-come that was leaking already. He was only focused on the squelching sound his fingers made as they moved inside her or how wild she grew when he scissored his fingers against that little spot, how she succumbed to pleasure and lost control because of him. The way she tugged at his cock and hearing her chanting his name over and over made him insane with need.

Her eyes were shut with sheer ecstasy and it made it impossible for him to resist, so he increased the tempo of his fingers. Removing her hand from his cock with a mild curse, he grasped one of her ass-cheek in his hand and pulled it to the side. She shivered but didn't shy away, as he lined his cock against her hole.

"Come for me," he growled in her ear.

Her eyes flung open as her body tightened viciously at his words and a tremendous wave of ecstasy washed over her. She cried out as her orgasm poured through her in a scorching wave, her hips pumping mindlessly to keep his fingers inside as she convulsed violently around his hand.

In a swift move, something she hardly noticed while lost in the throes of the orgasm, he pushed the head of his cock inside and let out a groan against the nape of her neck when her sensitive walls fluttered around him. He felt it when she tensed, which was expected as they haven't done it like this before. This way she was tighter and unbelievably warm, but he stopped after hearing her slightest cry of discomfort.

He kissed her cheek and jaw before rubbing his stubbly cheek against hers comfortingly; covered her hand with his own and laced their fingers pumped his hips a little slowly, waiting for any sign of pain, but there was none and he pushed until his erection was lodged into her. He heard the hitch of her breath as her fingers tightened on his.

"Are you okay?" Damon asked through gritted teeth as she sagged against him. "Should I stop?"

"No…" she panted, shaking her head, her eyes squeezed shut. "Don't stop."

He gave another little thrust, pushing fractionally deeper and she clenched around him, a helpless reaction to the feel of something gliding across the tender tissues.

"Does it hurt?" he murmured.

"No. Please. More." she breathed, surprised by the husky rasp of her voice.

He nodded next to her, pulling his fingers out which were still inside her pussy, only to flick them against her clit. She keened and pushed back against his cock until she felt her arse was brushing against the pubes around his cock and she couldn't go any further than that. He stilled his fingers against her clit and slowly slid his wet fingers over her stomach and around her hip. The water washed the evidence of her release, but he was going to remedy it soon.

"You feel so good," he whispered seductively.

Athena was too lost in pleasure to notice the slight discomfort when he moved because all she felt was complete. He withdrew before gliding deep again, both moaning at the sensation of the feel of his cock sliding inside her body.

Gritting his teeth, burying his face against her throat, he tried damn hard not to come on the spot. The feel of her velvet heat surrounding him was the most pleasurable experience of his life. It felt so good…so damn perfect.

He held her hair and pulled her head back so he could take her mouth in a lush kiss, so he could take his time. He wanted this to last, to be one of the best experiences she had. Their mouths slid across each other, growing more frantic until he starting rocking inside her. She gasped, eyes rolling at the back of her head as her chest heaved. Every touch of his eliciting sparks throughout her body.

Damon increased his pace, thrusting forward, again and again, driving into her as if he hadn't been with her for years. Her walls fluttered around him as she rocked backward as if trying to pull him in even deeper.

"You're so beautiful," he murmured, his voice infinitely gentle, the contrast of his vicious thrusts. "I love making you feel good. I love watching you come undone for me. I love that I'm the only one who has seen you like this."

"Damon..." Athena moaned, lost in the pleasure of being held by him. "Please…"

The rest of her words were lost when he pushed one of his fingers inside her, his thumb flicked her clit and she let out a loud cry. Her nails dug into the skin of his hand which had been holding hers, drawing blood as her legs gave out and she would've collapsed if Damon hadn't been holding was distantly aware of the helpless sounds spilling from her throat. Her senses were overloaded by Damon's scent. The heat of his hard body, the feel of his cock thrusting inside her ass and his finger pumping in and out of her pussy was shockingly intense. She felt blissfully possessed by him in every way. His grip was so tight, that she knew she would find bruises later, but she didn't care.

His breath came out in gasps as he moved harder and faster, needing to fill her, needing to be surrounded by her forever and ever. Damon shifted again, thrusting his fingers in and out along with the thrusts of his cock and grazed the thin wall separating his cock from his fingertips earning a cry from her.

They found their rhythm easily as they lost themselves in each other. Sinking deeper with every stroke, he couldn't tell where his body ended and hers began. Every place they touched increased the fire raging inside him. A burning need he knew no one else could sate. One moment, he wanted to rush to the exquisite end, the next he wanted to make it last forever.

They both knew she was too wound up and would come with a nudge against her clit. His lips on her neck, fingers wound tightly with hers as he held her up, his other hand massaging her clit while his hips slamming hard and fast inside her threw her over the edge. Her muscles tightened; walls fluttered around his cock and fell into an ocean of pleasure with a loud wail.

Damon too, couldn't hold back anymore, his movements became erratic and his hips jerked violently against hers before his body began to spasm. The sensation of him filling her was wonderful. He buried his face in the juncture of her neck as he felt the last of his cum filling her.

Water was still splattering on them and Athena was surprised to notice that it was still warm.

She leaned back against him, panting harshly as he rubbed her stomach soothingly, even though he tried to catch his breath. Athena was trembling hard, unable to hold her weight and was leaning back on him.

"Don't… don't move…" he groaned into her ear, sending shivers rushing down her spine.

"I can't even if I wanted to," she replied with a snort.

She felt his smile against her neck, felt the rumbling of his chest as he laughed quietly before lifting her bodily. Now face to face, he sought out her mouth and kissed her with all the love and passion that he had. Athena pulled back, keeping her eyes closed, savouring the feel of him inside her before he pulled out and hid her face in his chest.

Afterward, Damon lightly soaped a washcloth and cleansed between her legs before paying the same attention to his cock. The way he took care of her was sweetly intimate, demonstrating yet again that she was precious to him. He turned the shower off, tossing the washcloth down the laundry bin and had settled her on his bed even before she could blink.

Once they were settled on his bed, his arm tightened around her, pulling their naked bodies together. Damon pressed his face in her hair, taking in their mixed scents and sighed contentedly. He had his eyes closed, but his lips twitched upwards when she brushed his hair off his forehead. Slowly, her hand found wrapped around his torso, fingers rubbing his back. Damon knew they would have to face the world, but for now, he wanted to stay like this with his girl.

Later That Afternoon

Salvatore Boarding House

Athena stumbled into the kitchen, hair piled on top of her head in a knot, wearing Damon's robe which was huge and covered her entire frame. She had woken up not minutes ago, only to find herself alone and now she knew why. Damon was standing in the kitchen, practically naked, dancing and cooking looking more relaxed than she had ever seen.

"Morning, sleeping beauty," he teased with a cocky smile.

She stared at him blearily, grumbling something under her breath before slumping on one of the bar chairs. Her eyebrows shot up when a hot cup of tea was settled in front of her. It wasn't easy to find tea in a country where people survived on coffee and she wasn't about to waste it. She eyed him warily but nodded her thanks before practically inhaling it all.

Once she was done and feeling more awake, she eyed the food before asking curiously, "What's the occasion?"

He shrugged. "Can't I cook for my baby?"

She shot him a look full of surprise and said, "I had no idea you could cook."

"It's nothing much… just baked eggs, sausages, and pancakes." Damon replied as he began emptying the pan on a plate, but before she could question him about it, he cut it into a small piece and offered it to her.

She opened her mouth as he fed her the bite and couldn't stop the moan that left her mouth, savouring the bite. She didn't get a home-cooked meal often and not the one especially cooked for her. The food was exceptionally good and it tasted nothing like the breakfast she was used to.

Her eyes widened as she turned towards Damon, who stared back smugly. "Wow! This is delicious. Where did you learn to cook from?" she asked.

The smile he was supporting fell, before he schooled his features and replied, "My mother used to make it."

Athena noticed the wistful tone even as he smiled. She couldn't remember him ever talking about his mother. The only thing known to her was that Mrs. Salvatore died when Stefan was just a kid. She never knew her mother, but still thought about her every day. Was it tough for Damon, knowing his mother's love only to lose it at a young age? So, she asked, "Do you miss her terribly?"

He looked startled for a moment before shrugging nonchalantly. "It's been a long time."

His stance was tense, making her realise that he was uncomfortable talking about it, so she nodded, leaving it for the time being and focus on her meal. Stefan wasn't home and she was sure that he was with Caroline, so it was just the two of them and Katherine, locked in the basement. Athena wasn't sure what to do with her, but she needed to find a way to make her talk. Maybe Kol's idea would work? She should let one of them 'talk'. After all, she didn't have much time. She blinked when he waved a hand in front of her, raising his eyebrows questionably, at which she shook her head.

Damon frowned but chalked it up to her being worried about Voldemort. He leaned on the counter, taking a sip of his coffee, watching her as she finished her food. He stole a few pieces from her plate here and there, trying to make small talk, but his focus was on the box lying in his pocket.

When she was done, he took a deep breath before pulling out the small wooden box, setting it on the counter and pushing it towards her. She stared at the box before looked up at him with a confused frown.

"I want you to have this." He said, opening the box.

Inside was a pendant with a ruby stone that was surrounded by small diamonds. She gaped. "Oh my God! Is that…?"

"A ruby? Yes." Damon replied.

Athena shook her head, eyes wide as they met his baby blues and whispered flummoxed, "I can't… It's too much."

"I didn't buy it. I've had it forever."

"Damon…" she gave him a look.

"It was my mothers." He stated before picking up the necklace. He stared at it fondly and added imploringly, "I've kept it all this time and I never thought I'll give this to anyone, but I want you to have it."

She looked at him, feeling overwhelmed. His expressions were open and she didn't need anyone to tell her how much it meant to him. She touched it before nodding and choked out, "It's beautiful. Thank you."

Damon gave her a smile before moving around the counter to step behind her. He put the pendant on her before sliding his fingers down her arms and around her waist. Resting his chin on her shoulder, he sighed. He moved his hands down, coaxing her to turn.

Her emerald eyes were gazing at him with so much love like no one ever had. It warmed his heart at the way she ran the pad of her thumb up his jaw to his cheekbone, slowly trailing her fingers in the dark hair at his temple.

"I love you." He whispered.

She smiled, tilting her head slightly and leaned forward to kiss him. Holding his head as she pressed their mouths together tenderly.

"I love you too." She mumbled against his lips, making him smile.

She was so warm, her lips soft against his and he responded easily. Damon's eyes drifted close as her tongue eased forward to slowly lick into his mouth. One of her arms wrapped around his back, while the other tangled in his hair at the base of his neck as their kiss deepened. He moved closer to her to stand between her legs as he pressed against her. He opened the knot of her robe easily while moving his fingers up her leg. Her hand moved down his back and plunged inside his boxers. She pushed them down before wrapping her legs around his hips.

They didn't rush as he rocked inside her slowly, sharing small kisses, just gentle presses of their lips. It was perfect and a bubble of happiness throbbed inside his chest. This was his absolute heaven.

Throughout everything, one thing he was sure of and it was his love for Athena. It was strong… stronger than anything he had felt in his life and he just knew that he would never feel the same for anyone else. He hid it well, but he was scared… scared what would happen if Voldemort was back? Scared that he was gonna lose her, but he was also determined to do everything in his power to keep the girl he loved safe.

Somewhere Outside Mystic Falls

Elena drove out of town as fast as she could, trying to rein in her tears. Her life had crumbled like a house of cards and she no longer knew where she belonged. She didn't know what to do anymore, so she had gone to the boarding house. She wasn't delirious to fool herself into thinking that Damon would miraculously declare his love for her, but he was her friend. He had always been there when she needed him, even when no one else was… he had always understood her without expecting anything in return and she wanted her friend. She knew that he thought he loved Klaus's daughter, but she wasn't expecting the girl in question to be there with him.

The fact that Damon was sleeping with Klaus's daughter didn't come as a huge shock. She knew how Damon was and how he slept with everything in a skirt, but the way he looked at Athena felt like a slap on the face. Damon hadn't even looked at her with so much warmth months ago when Athena wasn't in the picture and he confessed his feeling for her. She saw them eating together, saw him putting his mother's pendant on the witch before kissing her.

Elena couldn't help but compare how different he was with her… how aggressive whenever he kissed her or the one time, they had sex; but with Athena? He was tender as if she was made of glass. She had been frozen up until the moment her eyes met his as he was thrusting inside the other girl and they had narrowed, glaring at her coldly before turning back, clearly dismissing her existence. It was the moment she realised that he didn't care… not anymore. It was clear as the day in his eyes, after which she had bolted.

She didn't even have her best-friend as Bonnie wanted nothing to do with her. The witch had asked her to leave before slamming the door in her face.

Elena tried to breathe to calm herself, which was why she didn't see the man standing in the middle of the road. She didn't even get the time to stop the car before the man raised his hand, waving it oddly. She couldn't even scream before her car flew off the road and rolled down the side of the hill.

Everything hurt – Elena was sure she had broken quite a few bones; her head was throbbing and her blood dripped down into her mouth. It wasn't easy to open her eyes, but she blinked blearily, realising that she was lying somewhere in the grass. It wasn't easy to crane her neck, but she tried to search for her car, which was lying not far away from her. She tried to move, but to no avail, her body refused to cooperate. So, she did the only thing she could do… closed her eyes and waited for death.

She had no idea how long it had been, but when she opened her eyes, she saw a man standing beside her.

"He…lp." She croaked before taking a proper look at him.

He seemed old, older than Rik; was wearing black clothes, had grey hair mixed with black and many scars were running down his face. He kneeled next to her, running his fingers down her cheek. She turned her head away, only to moan as the pain in her head intensified.

He didn't stop touching her and she couldn't help as tears fell as she sobbed, but the man just sneered, "You'll do beautifully pet."

She closed her eyes, trying to ignore the way his hands wandered all over her body and it wasn't long before she succumbed to darkness.

AN: I've been battling depression for the past year. I was taking therapy and do feel better now – the reason behind leaving fanfiction. Now that we're in the middle of a severe crisis and do not know what the future holds for any of us… I thought to finish my stories, starting with this one. It wouldn't do much, but I hope it would be able to divert your mind, even if it's for 10 minutes. Hoping to finish this by the end of May.

[In the end, the man wasn't trying to molest Elena. He was just searching for a phone or if she had any other means to contact her family or friends.]

Thank you for the readers who are still with me on this story and I hope you liked it. Positive criticism is always welcome.

Hope you and your loved ones are safe. Stay indoor guys.

April 4th, 2020