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Enjoy this chap!

Firework

Shallow

I was ready and just starting to feel better, just. The headache had gone and so had the sickness, but the aches were still present, my arms and legs felt like they'd been put through one of Alaric's rigorous workouts. But none the less I was ready and willing to go to this movie night thing.

Jeremy had explained to me that it was something Elena and her friends did every few weeks. Elena herself had been cool with me all day. After I'd managed to drag myself off of the sofa and to my room she'd kept completely out of my way, even going so far as to walk out of any room that I was in.

I didn't know what I'd done and I was starting to worry a bit. Maybe she was just getting bored of me already, everyone else did. Either that or she'd finally worked out that I really wasn't good enough, wasn't worth it. I didn't blame her for distancing herself from me. I didn't blame her but it hurt anyway.

Grabbing my keys, phone, wallet and shoving them in my pocket I headed from my room to Elena's worried about the reception that I'd receive, but it was stupid taking two cars to the same place. Stupid and a waste of money. Maybe I should just stay in, if Elena didn't want me around then no-one else would either. I gathered my courage, set for another knock down and headed for Elena's room, if she was still off with me then I wouldn't go.

As I reached her door I heard voices seeping out, hers and Caroline's. I was going to knock, really I was, my hand was raised and everything, but then I heard my name. I know the saying about eavesdroppers, but still I couldn't bring myself to move away from the door.

"I just don't know whether to tell Bella or not. I don't want her to get hurt anymore than she already has been." What was Elena talking about, how was she going to hurt me?

"I don't know what to say Elena, Bella said that they're just friends, and she lies worse than I do." Caroline's voice came back concerned yet truthful. She was right, I couldn't lie to save my life, though lies had come easier to me when I'd been with Edward. Another reason that he'd been bad for me. That he'd changed me, for the worst. Although it pained me I was starting to see that and I didn't like what I'd been seeing. Unfortunately I had Damon to thank for that, like a lot of other things recently.

"You didn't see her with him this morning Caroline. Seriously, they were all cuddly on the sofa... I don't know. Maybe you're right. But..."

"If I'm not Bella will get hurt. Yeah. I know." Caroline paused for a few moments before speaking again, her filter in place for once. "Then yeah, maybe you should speak to her. Maybe we both should. I don't want her getting hurt either, she's my friend too ya know?" Caroline's words warmed me. I really had made some true friends in my short time here. And it seemed as though they loved me just as I did them. For someone who had always been an outsider before... Well it brought a slight glassiness to my eyes that I had to blink away before knocking on Elena's door and ending my eavesdropping.

"Yeah!?" Elena called.

I opened the door and stuck my head around it, despite what I'd overheard I still didn't know how I'd be taken after she'd avoided me all day. "Hey, I'm ready, I didn't know if you wanted to ride together or not?" I hated how my voice came out sounding meek and mild. How it had sounded before I'd moved here and gained more confidence in myself and my friendships.

"Yeah, sure Bella. My car or yours?" Elena asked with a half smile, still slightly uncomfortable but getting better.

"Either. I'm not fussed." I responded before looking to Caroline. "Hey Care."

"Hey Bella. You look terrible! I take it you had a good time last night." Caroline said, her filter gone completely again.

"Gee thanks." I teased with a smile.

"Oh! Sorry... I didn't mean... Urh." Caroline groaned and put her head in her hands but I just laughed, not offended in the slightest.

"It's okay Caroline. Yeah. I had fun. My problem is that I try and match a vampire drink for drink. That's never going to end well. For me." I giggled, remembering the shots. Too many shots.

"You got that right, we can drink you under the table." Caroline giggled. "What about Damon? Was he on his best behaviour?"

"Is he ever?" I replied with a lift of my eyebrows and a chuckle.

Caroline and Elena shared a look before Elena beckoned me into her room. I obliged and entered shutting the door behind me before joining my two friends on the bed.

"Bella, Caroline and I, we need to talk to you." Elena said, her voice grave and her face serious. I wasn't so sure I wanted to hear this.

"What about?" I asked hesitantly.

"Damon." Caroline said as blunt as always.

"What about him?" I knew they didn't like him, I also knew that they didn't like and didn't get us hanging out together. But Damon was fast becoming one of my best friends. I didn't have to ever be anything but me around him, I didn't have to pretend, I didn't have to keep a mask on, although I mostly did. I never felt judged or stupid around him, he was a perfect friend for me. Neither one of us having to be anyone but who we were. Plus he was fun to hang around with. I liked him, he brought out a streak in me that I liked. Reckless and bold, daring, witty. Not me, but who I wanted to be.

"You and him have been spending a bit of time together recently." Elena said slowly.

"Yes..." Where was this going?

"Well there's some things that you should know. I know you say that you're just friends." I cut Caroline off right there.

"We are." I stressed seriously.

"Well just in case." She replied. Just in case what? Damon suddenly decided he was attracted to me? Not likely. He was far too... Maybe not good, but far too good looking, and clever, and funny to ever find me anything other than plain and boring. And anyway I didn't like him like that. Much.

"Bella, Damon... He's in love with me." Elena told me quietly.

I don't know what I'd expected. But that really hadn't been it. And I hadn't expected my reaction to the news either. My stomach dropped and my heart ached slightly in my chest. I felt... Disappointed. Disappointed and kind of sad. Which was a stupid, crazy reaction. Damon and me were friends, friends and that was it.

Something else suddenly came to me as the two girls watched me take the news in silently. "Hang on, you don't...?"

"No! No, no! I love Stefan, Damon... Well Damon's Damon, one day he's my friend, the next day I want to stake him." Elena replied quickly. Was it too quickly? I didn't know. And my headache was starting to return.

"As long as he knows that what does it matter? Like I said, me and him, we're just friends." I was saying the words, but I didn't mean them, it did matter, it mattered more to me than it should. More than was right for just a friend.

"There's more." Elena said before shooting Caroline a pointed look.

"Damon and me. We kind of had a thing once. When I was still human." Caroline blurted out. "Well, he compelled me to like him, to be his girlfriend, fed off of me and basically treated me like crap." Her voice was getting heated now. "But the sex was pretty amazing. And in his twisted little head I'm pretty sure that he classed that as a relationship." No love lost there then.

Okay, so he had a past, live for five hundred years and I was pretty sure that the ex's stacked up. I understood, and I understood why it was Caroline, she was beautiful, she was funny and she was kind. Not everyone was a prude like Edward had been.

"I'm sorry he treat you badly Care, I am. But I still don't see what this has to do with me?" I said, wishing stupidly that it did have something to do with me.

"We don't want to see you get hurt." Caroline said sadly.

"I'm not getting hurt. Thanks for looking out for me, seriously. But Damon is just my friend. And he can't compel me." I added, just in case they were worried that he'd do what he'd done to Caroline to me. He wouldn't, he couldn't.

"Just because he can't compel you doesn't mean he can't manipulate you. Be careful with him." Elena said solemnly to me.

"Thanks Elena, you really don't know how much you caring means. But I trust Damon not to play with me." I assured the girls. He couldn't possibly find anything in me to make me interesting enough to play with. He already wanted Elena, had Caroline, I was nothing compaired to them. I stood no chance.

~0~

We arrived at the boarding house in half the time it normally took, I was driving and I was taking out my frustrations on my poor car. It stood the test, I'm not sure Elena and Caroline did though by the shaken way that they approached the oak front doors. It almost made me giggle, almost but not quiet. I was more bothered than I should have been about our conversation. Much more bothered.

Caroline and Elena just walked into the house as normal - no-one ever seemed to knock here- I took a deep breath before following them, suddenly dreading the evening for some reason.

"Hey!" A chorus of voices greeted us as we made our way into the living room.

"Hey!" We beamed back, I couldn't help but smile at all my new friends who looked so happy that we were there. But a tinge of disappointment wrought through me as I realised the one person that I'd been dying to see wasn't here. I also realised that I'd missed him, even though I'd only seen him this morning. That was not good, not good at all. I couldn't let myself get dependant on anyone. Not ever again.

Smiling weakly I sat alone on one of the leather couches that was still empty, all the others taken by the happy couples. I hadn't felt this left out, this sad, like crying this much in the past few weeks that I'd been here. It was a hollow and painful reminder of just how far I'd come in such a short amount of time.

"Hey! I got the chips!" Matt announced coming into the room with carrier bags full of chips in his hand. The relief I felt at not being the odd one out was almost staggering. I was almost disappointed in how pathetic I was acting again, I was moving on, getting over it, I should not be taking steps backs.

"So what are we watching then?" I asked as Caroline started pulling movies out of her bag.

"Knowing Caroline we'll have chick flicks and disney." Tyler teased while shooting a smile at me but getting an elbow in the ribs for his trouble. "Ouch! Sorry but it's true!" He whined making the rest of us chuckle at him.

"We have 'How To Train Your Dragon', 'Tangled', and 'Coyote Ugly.'" Caroline told us excitedly.

"That's only three!" Jeremy called out, but he sounded quite wary as he did.

"The other one that I got is a total dudes film." Caroline exclaimed looking smug, inwardly I groaned, guys films generally bored me. "'Resident Evil.'"

Everyone else looked almost excited by the choice, and I have to admit it did sound okay, blood and guts, not much chance for loving happy couples in that. I was surrounded by enough of that as it was at the minute and I felt awkward as it was.

"So which one first?" Stefan asked with a grin, his arm slung around Elena. He looked happy, really happy, they both did. How could Damon even think of Elena like that? Her and Stefan were so perfectly matched together, you could see they were the other half to each other.

Damon was perfect for someone; he was funny, witty, infuriating, insightful and sexy beyond belief, but he wasn't the one for Elena, I hoped for him that one day he found that perfect someone for him. The thought though sent a frisson of jealousy and heart ache running deep inside my body, which I knew, which I'd told myself time and time again was stupid. After all I'd only known him a few weeks and I was never getting that attached after that short a time again. Anyway it was a moot point. Damon didn't see me like that. And never would.

"Why don't we watch 'How To Train Your Dragon'?" Bonnie suggested. "I haven't seen it and I want to."

Throwing my legs up on the sofa and helping myself to some snacks I settled into watch the movie, a dull aching feeling of disappointment hanging heavily on my chest as I did.

~0~

"I love that movie!" Caroline declared as the Disney film ended, it had been a good choice in movie. It was light, funny and helped to relax me. By the end of the film I was enjoying myself and my time with my friends once more. Though the main dragon 'Toothless' reminded me altogether too much of another dark haired mythical creature.

"Hey are dragons real too?" Jeremy asked the room. "Cause that would be cool."

"I've never met one in five hundred years so I'm guessing that's a no." Stefan answered with a fond smile.

"Damn, I really would've liked to have my own dragon." I joined in with a smile.

"Anyone want a drink?" Stefan asked standing up and stretching, did vampires need to stretch?

"It's all about the coffee." Elena beamed at her boyfriend, I chuckled before agreeing with her. Coffee would be needed if I was to stay awake, last night had taken it's toll on me.

"Alright, Tangled or Coyote Ugly?" Caroline asked as she crouched down in front of the dvd player, which was of course top of the range. How did vampires get so rich, especially when they didn't exactly work?

"Well I vote Coyote Ugly, what about you Wildcat?" Damon said from behind me, his deep cocky voice burning through me and relaxing me at the same time. He was here! The relief I felt was almost painful in it's intensity. I truly was pathetic.

"Yeah, Coyote Ugly, like toothless said." I smirked at Caroline and got chuckles from everyone else in the room except for Damon.

"Budge up, I wanna sit down." Damon said, his mouth close to my ear, sending shivers down my spine.

"Do you mean please Bella move so I can sit down and watch the movie?" I asked in an innocent voice.

"Nope I mean budge." He replied cockily.

"Not until you learn some manners." I bit out. I was glad he was here, I was relaxed as we fell in to our usual banter but I hated the fact that the pain was still niggling my chest as I looked to both Caroline and Elena, the two beautiful, kind girls whom I called my friends. The two girls that I was feeling slightly jealous of. Stupid.

"Neither of us have got time for that and I've got eternity." Damon sighed before I was being picked up and then placed back down in exactly the same position I was in, just with Damon under me this time.

"Hey!" I glared at the dark haired man who was looking at me with faux innocent blue eyes.

"Oh relax." Damon smirked at me. I tried to move away from him, to untangle my legs from his strong arms, his gentle hands from my calves, but his grasp was too strong and after a minute I just gave up and huffed.

We sat through Coyote Ugly tangled together and I tried desperately to ignore the incredulous looks we were getting from the others every few minutes. I did however kick Damon a few times 'accidentally'. That made me feel slightly better and smile every now and then.

After the movie finished Damon pushed my legs off him, getting up with a smirk on his face. "I've got my own home movie that I think you'll all enjoy before the others." The malicious grin that he shot at me told me that he was about to get me back for kicking him. Crap.

"I don't think I wanna watch any of your home movies thanks." I tried to stop it, unfortunately Damon was already at the television hooking up his phone. I started to feel a little nauseous.

The movie started and I was completely mortified at what I was seeing. There I was stood on some seedy bar with another girl who looked as wasted as I did, dancing along to the Devil Went Down to Georgia and managing the moves from the dance that went with it from Coyote Ugly pretty well.

"Oh my god Bella!" Caroline gasped out in between giggles. I planted my hands in my face and groaned. I couldn't believe that I'd done that.

"Shit!" I heard growled out from the movie on the screen and lowered my hand to see what had made Damon curse, remembering nothing from that incident at all. Two guys were pouring Tequila along the bar and one had got a lighter out. Yeah that was a bad idea with my track record, how the hell had I managed to avoid third degree burns?

"C'mon Wildcat, time to get down!" Damon said from the television, the camera jostling as he moved closer to the bar.

The movie cut out just as I looked at the camera smiled and shouted "catch me!" Before launching myself off the bar and at the vampire.

The room erupted into laughter as the screen went black, even Stefan was laughing.

"Why?" I asked Damon pathetically, I could feel my face turning a healthy shade of fushia.

"Cause I can Wildcat." He smirked at me.

~0~

3rd Person P.O.V.

Damon walked into the room, his chest easing slightly at the sight of the brunette sprawled out over one of the sofa's. Whenever he wasn't with her he felt concerned, worried. It was disturbing for him, he felt the need to protect her, to look out for her, to be her friend and most importantly to him to bed her. The one thing he had no intention of doing, that he really didn't want to do was hurt her or feed from her. That really worried him. Of course he wanted to place his fangs in her sweet neck and taste her nector as she was screaming in pleasure, that was a given. But he wanted more from it than just that. And that made the vampire decidedly unhappy.

Damon hadn't cared about anyone, not really, not since that evil bitch Katherine had fucked him up and fucked him over. He liked it that way and he wanted to keep it that way, but here was this girl, this innocent, hot, fuckable girl messing that all up. She was worming her way in to his affections and not only did Damon not know how to stop it he wasn't sure if he wanted to.

Verbally sparring with Bella always brought a smile to his face and tonight was no exception as together they curled up on the sofa and watched movies. Though the way they were curled up was somewhat reluctantly on Bella's side of things he could tell.

The brunette vixen always relaxed when she was around him, visably so. That night however every time she relaxed she'd shoot a glance at vampire Barbie and the Ice Queen and stiffen up. Refusing to let herself feel the calm that she normally did round him. Something had happened, something that had Bella pulling away from him, and if he wanted to get her in his bed again, which he did desperatly; preferably with less clothes this time, he had to put up a fight.

Stefan watched his brother and Bella, not liking what he was seeing which was hardly new to him, but that night was different, they were different.

Damon kept stroking parts of Bella, her foot, her ankle, her calf. Bella however was trying to pull away from him, trying to shut him out. Something that she was failing to do.

Stefan had his theories about this. The first was that something had happened between them on their night out together. However he quickly dismissed this idea in his fast working brain. Bella was always quick to blush and if something had happened he had no doubt that her face would resemble a ripe tomato. No nothing had happened between them.

Maybe she was pulling away as she was scared of getting hurt again? That seemed logical to him, and she was right to do so. Damon wrecked everything he touched, he was dark and dangerous. Damon would no doubt hurt Bella if she ever gave him that chance.

That seemed like a likely theory but Stefan couldn't help but think there was slightly more to it. The girl kept looking towards Caroline and Elena, her face almost pained with every look, that's when she'd start pulling away from his brother. Something had happened, they'd said something or done something to cause this reaction.

Although Stefan didn't like seeing the witty and feisty girl become slightly hurt, slightly withdrawn once more he could only think of it as a good thing. Damon was trouble, and rather than being hurt or worse, dead, down the line Bella should carry on pulling away from Damon now. It would save her in the long run.

~0~

Soooo... What did you think? Did you like it, hate it? I wanna know :) see you next time,

Tamtiger x