A/N: First, I wanted to thank everyone for all your support and kind words. Also, thank you for your continued patience. Near the end of this work, I lost my inspiration, and it was really hard to finish it when I felt like I had other ideas bursting out of me. Plus, life. But Delena is my favorite, and I will always love them. Netflixing TVD and my favorite Delena scenes is my guilty pleasure. Thanks to that, I was able to regain some motivation to finish this off. I don't know if it turned out exactly how I wanted it to, but I'm happy I could complete it. I had always figured I would do an epilogue, and I'm still willing if you guys want it. Let me know! Thanks again, and be sure to check out my other stories with more coming soon, hopefully!

Chapter 15

Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Tick-tock. The clock on the mantle never sounded louder to Damon than in this moment as he waited for Elena to come back downstairs. He sent her up to shower and change over an hour ago, and he could tell that she was done. The water shut off ages ago. Still, no Elena. He stilled and listened for her breathing, thinking maybe she fell asleep, but the deep, heavy breaths of slumber weren't present. So either she was avoiding him because she was nervous or…

Then, as if in answer to his question, his ears picked up the scratch of a pen on paper. Of course! Elena wouldn't have been able to resist writing in her journal after the last few days they've had together.

Relieved, Damon went back to preparing a snack for Elena. He rummaged through the pantry and the refrigerator, finding Elena's favorite things. He made up a tray with brie and crackers, Ghirardelli chocolate squares, grapes, and as a joke – but not really – vampire shaped fruit snacks leftover from Halloween. They were buried deep in the pantry and were probably expired, but it was worth the laugh. Finally, he put the water on to boil, and arranged an assortment of tea bags fanned out on the tray for Elena to choose from. Then, carefully, he placed different additives, including honey, sugar, and even cinnamon.

Damon became so engrossed in his task that he didn't even notice at first when Elena plodded down the stairs.

"What are you doing?"

"You need to eat. Go sit on the couch and I'll bring it out," he ordered, and Elena gladly obliged.

He walked over with the tray, placed it on the coffee table, and was pleased when Elena quickly grabbed a handful of grapes.

"Thank you. I didn't realize how hungry I was," she managed between bites.

Unable to take his eyes off her mouth, Damon licked his lips and nodded. She was a goddess, and as much as he was going to miss having Stefan around, he couldn't find it in him to be upset. He knew Stefan would get over all this eventually, and then he would come home. Everything would work out.

Elena tilted her head at him in question, and Damon's eyes were immediately drawn to the long line of her beautiful neck.

"What are you thinking about?"

Too many thoughts flitted through his brain at the moment for him to articulate them to Elena, so instead he just shrugged.

"I don't believe that for a second," she said, calling him out on his attempted evasion.

Damon smirked. God, he loved her.

Piercing her with his glacial stare, he simply said, "You." He felt her heart flutter at that.

He watched, transfixed, as Elena slowly placed her mug of tea back on the tray. She met his eyes and said, "What about you? Are you hungry?" She smiled, coyly.

He could tell she was nervous, but he thought he sensed eagerness there, too. At that thought, he could feel his fangs begging to pierce through his gums and he fought to keep the monster at bay.

When he finally felt under control, he sighed. "Elena, we don't have to worry about that tonight. You should just rest."

Elena was already shaking her head before he could even finish his sentence. "No, I'm fine. I don't need rest. It's not like anything I went through was strenuous, at least physically, anyway. And if we don't end this spell, well…"

She trailed off, looking nervous again.

"Well, what?" Damon pressed, raising his eyebrows at her in that flirty way of his.

She cleared her throat, obviously stalling for time as she thought of what to say. Damon waited patiently, reflexively reaching out to rub her knee.

She laughed and gently moved his hand. "Well, you're distracting, for one. These visions are more intense and stressful than anything. I don't know if I can go through another one and still be expected to keep my hands to myself. Not to mention the strain of trying to keep my thoughts to myself when I'm around you. I'm nearly constantly reminding myself to think about sad things just to keep myself from fantasizing about you in any way."

"Who said you had to?" he smirked.

"Damon," Elena said with her signature scold, the one that held equal amounts affection and derision in her tone. "You know how I feel about you. I mean, you can't not know." Elena couldn't hold eye contact. Is she embarrassed?

"I want us to be together, but I also think we need to take things slow." Elena began fidgeting, rubbing her fingers nervously. "I mean, I just broke up with Stefan tonight. If it weren't for this spell…" she trailed off again.

Damon understood. Really, he did. He expected this even as he hoped for a different outcome. But he could be patient. He'd proven that time and again.

He reached out to still her hands, weaving his fingers with her own. "I get it, Elena. It's ok." And she nodded with relief as his straightforward answer reassured her.

"Okay, so we're doing this now, then." He shifted to be closer to her on the couch. "What body part were you thinking? Traditionally speaking, the neck is a good place, but then again, the wrist has its advantages." As he spoke, Damon reached out and caressed the line of her neck with one hand as the other clasped her hand and gently began running pleasing patterns over the underside of her wrist with his thumb.

He felt Elena shiver before he continued, "Then, of course, there are other places." He chided in a whisper, lips touching the outer shell of her ear. He pictured these 'other places' in his head with vivid detail so she could see. She whimpered as he imagined biting into the underside of her breast, and she outright moaned as he visualized kissing and caressing his way to the apex of her thigh.

She shoved him and glared. "The neck will be fine," she managed to say between clenched teeth.

Damon threw up his hands in apology. "Okay, okay. Neck it is," He tried to calm his own unsteady breathing, but seeing how affected Elena was by his fantasy vision didn't help him with his endeavor. Instead, he used his already ramped up heart rate to call forth his monster. It was ridiculously easy to do.

Before he could move toward Elena, she stopped him. She cupped his face with her hands and slid her fingers across his blackened veins. He didn't know what he was expecting her to do, but the "I love you," she boldly stated while staring deeply into his eyes hadn't been in the top ten. But then, she's never been one to do what he expects. And isn't that part of the reason why he loves her? Besides, he doesn't think he will ever get used to the idea of her love, but honestly he doesn't think he wants to. Not now, not ever.

If he didn't know any better, he would think he was getting choked up. He quickly moved his eyes away from Elena's until they were focused over her left shoulder, and he swallowed hard in an attempt to dissolve the thickness that had formed in his throat. What the hell, Damon?

He mentally shook himself, trying to focus. It occurred to him that Elena might be waiting to hear the sentiment returned, but that wasn't his style. Over his long life, he found that, unfortunately, words were too often just that. He worked in action. He showed Elena he loved her day in and day out. He faced bad guys for her. He refrained from killing people for her, fighting all his natural instincts. He wallowed in his humanity for her. There's nothing he wouldn't do for her, really. If she needed him to say it, he would; however, for right now, he planned to continue doing as he always did. He would reassure her with his touch. He would prove himself by his presence. He would anticipate her needs. He didn't have to be perfect. He just had to be open to her love. The rest would come naturally.

It was easier said than done, being open to love, but Damon wasn't afraid of a challenge…even if his own ineptitude was the challenge.

At that thought, his mouth reflexively tilted up on one side in the most delicious smirk. He leaned forward and let the smirk morph to an all out feral grin. Elena's hands moved from his face to his shoulders then to his back as he leaned her against the couch cushions with his body. He heard her breath catch in her throat as he teased along the expanse of her silky, smooth skin. He laved against it and worshiped it and breathed against the wet skin until Elena shivered in his arms. He held her steady before whispering, "Ready?"

Elena gave a quick nod.

"I need to hear you say it, 'Lena," Damon requested.

"Ready," she managed to breath.

And then he bit.

Elena's thoughts raced in anticipation as Damon nuzzled her neck. Her skin flashed hot and cold and desire pooled in her core. Hanging on to thoughts was a near hopeless endeavor. She tried to think clearly. She tried to remember how many times she'd been bitten by a vampire in her short life, willingly or no. This would be four, right? Or was it five?

And when Damon's teeth finally pierced her skin, she knew it wouldn't be the last.

She'd be lying if she said that Damon's bite didn't hurt because it did. In fact, it was downright painful, but it was painful in that beautiful way that your first time is painful. A pleasure-pain that rocked her to the core. She could feel herself getting dizzier with each pull of his lips, and she wondered if this might be a little like being high. She was flat out soaring. Addicted.

Elena wasn't aware of the moment when Damon stopped drinking. The feelings lingered, and she remained in his embrace, snuggled on the couch. And there was no place she'd rather be.

Finally, finally, he pulled away. A drop of blood trickled down Damon's chin, and Elena shakily used her finger to gather the remnants before bringing it to Damon's mouth. Damon steadied her hand with his own before licking away the stray blood, and Elena shivered under his ministrations.

They stared at each other a long time before Damon finally said, nodding toward the open wound on her neck that Elena was unconsciously cradling, "Let me heal you."

Even though the request was a statement and not a question, Elena knew that Damon wouldn't do anything without her consent. Normally, her reaction would be to say no. The risk of dying with vampire blood in her system was too great. Not to mention, she normally liked to keep the scars on her skin as a reminder of the danger and her fragility. She never wanted to get too cocky, too assured. But with Damon she felt none of that. He'd protect her, always. And if something went truly and terribly wrong and she became a vampire…well, she'd learn to be ok with that, too, because Damon would be by her side.

This thought shocked her because it wasn't something she had realized before now. For the first time, she found herself really contemplating vampirism as a life choice in a way she never had with Stefan. And isn't that telling.

Elena nodded in response to Damon's request and watched in fascination as he tore into the skin on his wrist without so much as a flinch. She drank only a few drops, but she could feel the way he was affected by it as he pressed against her. She released his hand and moved to kiss him as she felt the puncture wounds begin to close.

He kissed her greedily after that, moving her until she was flat on her back against the couch cushions. His hands roved from her waist to her breasts and then down to her legs until he was cupping her ass. Elena longed to give in to Damon, but her senses were overwhelmed.

"Damon," she managed between hungry kisses. "Damon, wait."

He pulled back but his eyes were dark and hooded and his body was still hard against her.

Elena caressed his cheek and smiled affectionately at him. "I love you so much, and I want to be with you. I do."

He looked down, perhaps sensing the 'but' that she was about to utter, or maybe he was just trying to regain some control. Either way, she wasn't going to let him sulk. There would be no shame here. No hurt feelings. No regrets. They had both had enough of that to last a life time.

She took her hand and lifted his chin back up until their eyes met once again. "I don't want our time to be tainted by Klaus or Stefan or this spell or anything else. I want you, Damon, but I want it to be about you and me. Nothing else. I want it to be right."

She watched as understanding settled into his eyes. "We have forever, Elena," Damon said as he settled in beside her on the couch, positioning her until she lie nearly on top of him. "It's right, and we have forever."

And they fell asleep cradled in each other's arms and resting in each other's hearts.