A/N - These chapters are getting longer every time! This is probably the last time I'll be able to update relatively quickly due to that awful thing called work. You were so lovely and kind with your reviews and private messages for the last chapter that you deserve this. Hope you enjoy.


Chapter 13

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Damon asked as he walked Elena to Caroline's apartment door.

"I'll be fine. I need to do this Damon; I'm tired of living like this."

"Call me when you're back," he instructed. "Or text or... something. Just...let me know you're safe."

That feeling of pulling inside of her chest was back again and Elena smiled at him. "I will. And thank you. For everything over the past few days."

"My pleasure."

He pressed his lips to her cheek and Elena fought the urge she had to turn into him. "Good night, Damon."

He smiled, his blue eyes shining at her. "Night Elena."

He didn't leave until she'd entered the apartment - offering him one last smile. They had begun the drive home from Mystic Falls that afternoon with Elena having promised Ric and Jenna she would accompany Damon to their wedding if she could get off work. Their ride back had been in companionable quiet; she liked to look out of the window and he liked to listen to some radio station she'd never heard of but would definitely turn on in the future. Damon had insisted on not only dropping her off, but walking her to the door. An unspoken agreement that they wouldn't talk about their sleeping arrangements the previous night passed between them, yet Elena found herself wondering how on earth she was going to get any peace later that night without him there. Perhaps, she reasoned, after tomorrow - when she'd met Stefan - there would be some kind of clarity. It was the uncertainty of her future with him that made her more anxious than anything.

As Elena dropped her purse onto the floor, closing the door by pressing her back to it, she happened to glance up to find a half-naked Caroline on the couch.

"Oh...um…"

"Elena!" the blonde cried, clutching her sweater to her chest. "I didn't know you were coming back so soon...what...what time is it?" she cleared her throat and widened her eyes at Klaus' grin.

"Ms Gilbert," he drawled, and Elena spun 180 degrees, focusing her attention on the specks in the kitchen counter.

"It's er...pretty late actually," Elena said. "A little after ten."

"Shoot!"

"I assume that's my cue," Klaus continued, removing Caroline from his chest so that he could stand. "As always love, you enthral me." He offered a kiss to Caroline's cheek which, surprisingly, she seemed to blush at. "Elena, I'll see you tomorrow."

With her back still to the couple, Elena waved out a hand. "See you tomorrow."

After the door had shut, signalling his exit, Elena whipped around to catch Caroline with her face in her hands.

"Sorry."

Elena held up her right hand, "Not judging. Although, I could have done without seeing that. But then, it is your apartment so…"

"You know it's your apartment now too, right? I mean, not legally, obviously, but you live here now and I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"Seems like you made you uncomfortable." She made her way to the blonde and gave her shoulder a squeeze, softening her voice, "Thank you."

"What for?"

"Everything you've done. I'm so glad I met you you know."

"Yeah, yeah; save the gushing. I want to see pictures of Jack. Did it make you broody?"

They flicked through the pictures on Elena's phone, cooing over the baby's chunky little wrists and mop of dark hair. He had Bonnie's colouring but Jeremy's features and Elena was already excited for Thanksgiving when she'd be able to spend more time hanging out with the three of them.

"I decided to see Stefan tomorrow," she said, not meeting Caroline's eyes. "We need to talk."

"Are you sure? If you want me to come, I can -"

" - Care, that's incredibly sweet of you, but I'll be fine." Saying it was easier than believing it. "You know exactly where I'll be, and so does Damon so -"

" - You told Damon? That's good."

"Good?"

"If I'm worried, I can call him to make sure you're safe."

At that, Elena didn't know what to say. The fact that Damon knew where she'd be made her feel better too.

X

Work passed incredibly quickly the following day, almost undoubtedly, Elena assumed, because she was hesitant about the 7pm meet with Stefan she'd arranged. Perhaps though, she'd be closer to achieving a full night's sleep on her own. As she stood at the entrance to his apartment, to their apartment, she took a deep breath, willing her hand to stop shaking. Just as her hand reached the knob, the door was pulled away from her to reveal a rather surprised-looking Stefan.

"Elena," he smiled, holding the door open. "I was wondering where you'd gotten to."

She glanced at her watch. She'd thought she'd been on time.

"You're always early."

She crossed the threshold of the apartment and sucked in a breath as he closed the door, waiting for any of the words he'd said in her nightmare to leave his lips. They didn't. Sitting on the couch as she watched him fill the kettle, Elena noticed he'd made a real effort to look nice for her. Instead of the scruffy t-shirts and old jeans she'd grown accustomed to seeing him wear, he had on dark slacks and a navy button down shirt like he used to wear on their date nights in high school - the ones where he'd take her to a restaurant and she'd make out with him in her bedroom afterwards.

The apartment was tidy too - no beer bottles littering the coffee table or dishes in the sink.

"I've started writing again," he told her. "Just a few pieces for an independent magazine."

"Stefan, that's great," she smiled.

"They don't pay much, but I guess it's something."

"Of course."

It was quiet for a while as he popped a teabag into each mug and wiped at the few granules of sugar he'd spilled on the counter.

"I've missed you," he said, breaking the silence. "I kept expecting you to walk through the door after your shift and you never did."

Elena looked down at her lap. "I needed some time to think."

"About what?"

She lifted her head up to look at him, his eyes staring straight back. "Us."

"What's there to think about?" He crossed the short distance between the kitchen and couch, setting both mugs down on the coffee table. Elena immediately hooked her fingers through the handle of hers, cradling it in her hands.

"Whether we can get past what happened."

"Look Elena," Stefan rested a hand on her thigh and without meaning to, she jumped, spilling some of her tea over the sides so that it burned her fingers.

"Ouch, damn it," she muttered, standing to grab a towel from the dish rack. Pressing her back to the cupboards, she sucked in a breath and pushed off, seating herself back on the couch. A little further away this time.

"You're scared of me."

His voice was impassive - almost robot-like. Her own was a tiny whisper, "Can you blame me?"

Stefan huffed out a heavy breath and turned to face her. Despite the hammering in her chest, Elena held her chin up and waited. "I'm sorry about what happened. I never meant to hurt you, but you running away isn't going to solve anything."

"I know. That's why I'm here."

"We both have to work on our faults."

"I...what?"

"I know I made some mistakes -"

" - They were big mistakes Stefan -"

" - And I'm trying to apologise!" His voice was louder and her throat suddenly felt dry, a lump sticking each time she tried to swallow. "But you're not without fault in this either."

Now she was angry. "What did I do wrong?"

"The fact you're saying it like that just pisses me off. You're no saint Elena - as much as everyone back in Smithfield seems to think so. They're forgetting I'm here because you got a placement and I was trying to be supportive. And now I'm here, paying the rent on an apartment you don't live in, just waiting for you to waltz back in."

"You hurt me Stefan - multiple times."

"They were accidents. You knew not to push me -"

" - I never pushed you into hurting me," she cut in, that anger rising until it was more overwhelming than the fear had been outside of the apartment door. "That was all you."

"All me? I drove you eight hours from Smithfield because you wanted to go back to work. I was fucking exhausted but details like that don't always register with you, do they? You're forgetting I'm everything you've got here."

"That's not true," she returned, holding up that chin even further as she met his eyes.

"So Caroline's let you stay at her apartment for a few weeks. What happens when you start hounding her about mess or dinner not being ready - you know, like you did with me - and she's had enough? You'd have nowhere else to go but here and you need to remember that."

It was silent for a while as Elena processed everything he'd said. Perhaps Caroline would have had enough of her soon. Especially if things with Klaus became more...official. It wasn't fair for her to live there without paying rent - even if she continued to buy the groceries. But she could live somewhere on her own, right? Perhaps if she got a job in a bar or somewhere she could work evenings after her shift at the hospital. But then...she wasn't sure Caroline would expect her to leave. Not after she'd made her feelings toward Stefan clear. And then there was Damon...

"I didn't come here to break up with you," she told him, sighing into her mug of tea that she still hadn't drunk. "But I… I think we're done."

"No Elena -"

" - Every time I look in the mirror, I see the marks you left on my arms. And every time I shut my eyes, it's you I see and I don't think I'm ever going to get past that."

"We can work on things together." He was pleading now, changing tactics so abruptly that it was hard to follow his emotions.

"Stefan," she placed her mug down. "I loved what we had. But we can't get that back."

"We can try."

"I'd been trying. I'd been trying for a while and it didn't work."

"I can try."

"Stefan -"

" - Elena, I love you. Please."

His pleading almost broke her. But Damon's words from the hospital came back to her. And then, so did the memory of feeling so safe in his arms; pretty much the opposite of how she was feeling now.

"I'll come get my things soon. I'm sorry."

She stood to leave, her heart thudding as flashes of her last nightmare - the one where she'd been trapped - crossed her vision. But as she turned the knob, a cool blast of air hit her; the hallway. And he didn't pull her back.

As soon as she left the building, she dialled Caroline's number. The blonde picked up after the first ring.

"That was fast Care."

"Elena, are you okay? Are you safe? Where are you?"

"I'm fine," she replied. "I've just left. We...we broke up."

"Oh my God," Caroline gasped, before Elena heard her say, "No, she's fine - they broke up."

"Who are you talking to?"

"Uh, Damon's with me. We might happen to be in the coffee shop across the road from your building."

"What?"

"I was worried about you and I called Damon just in case...you know, for back up."

Elena wasn't quite sure how she was supposed to feel. But the fact her friend had done that...surely she'd been right when she told Stefan she wasn't alone. She did have people that cared and were here for her. And as she looked up and across the road, the proof was there, sitting on high stools in the window of Java, Caroline half-hiding between a gargantuan mug. Damon held his hand up in a slight wave.

"I'll come join you."

When Elena reached the two of them, Caroline lifted her purse off of a stool, gesturing for her to sit down as Damon jumped up, "Tea?"

"Um, yeah actually. Cranberry please."

"Commence girl talk," he instructed with an elaborate hand gesture. "And don't eat my bagel."

After Elena had told Caroline the parts she needed to know, the two sat quietly for a moment, before the blonde said, "You know you can stay as long as you want, right? I mean it."

"Thanks Care,"

"But if Klaus and I are...you know," she raised a brow, "You might wanna go hang out with Damon."

"She should want to hang out with me all the time," the man in question returned, handing Elena a large mug of sweet-smelling tea. As she curled her fingers around the china, they brushed against Damon's, and those tingles from the other day were dancing down her neck again.

X

For the first night in as long as she could remember, Elena was looking forward to her bed. She'd showered and washed her hair and even moisturised - everything that she'd done before. As she drew back the sheets, her phone buzzed on the nightstand: Damon.

Always here if you need to talk. D

Her fingers danced across the screen quickly.

Same for you too. E x

Perhaps, she thought afterwards, she shouldn't have added a kiss. It was just a habit. Her phone buzzed again and she smiled.

Sleep, Elena x

Deciding against sending the zzzzzz's she was going to reply with, she turned out the lamp and listened in the dark to the sounds of the city below.

X

"You never loved me," Stefan seethed, gritting his teeth.

"Of course I did," Elena replied softly, trying to remain calm as the hairs on her arms rose. "But that doesn't mean we should stay together."

"You made me waste the last few years. All of those nights I stayed in and waited for you to come home. Not once did you thank me. And now," he continued, advancing towards her, "You're going to pay."

She backed up, knocking against the back of the coffee table which sent empty beer bottles clattering against each other. It was almost like an instant replay of the last time. Last time. Looking up to see Stefan come closer, the edges of her vision tinted with gold - a haze spreading across until she could no longer see him. Instead, Elena heard horns and sirens and suddenly, the floor-length drapes of her window came into view. She wasn't back at her apartment. She was, instead, in bed at Caroline's.

Gasping, she sat up, peeling the soaked camisole away from her body. It clung stubbornly to her skin with sweat and she was forced to get up to open her window. The sirens below seemed to be screaming but it didn't matter because the cool night air was filling her lungs and reminding her that she wasn't where she'd thought she was. She was safe. As soon as she could take normal breaths, she glanced at the clock: 1:17am. She'd slept for a grand total of three and a half hours. It wasn't fair. She'd ended things with Stefan; this wasn't supposed to happen anymore. And yet, there she was, wiping at the sheen on her forehead and wishing she could dream of anything other than him.

Pulling off her camisole, Elena caught sight of her phone on the night stand. Damon crossed her mind - as he so often did these days - and she debated calling him. But then, if he was sleeping, it was incredibly unfair to wake him. Instead, she decided to browse the internet for a dress should she be off on the weekend of the 21st. The thought made her smile a little as she wondered how Damon would look in a suit. She and Jenna hadn't accompanied the men to their fitting; instead, Jenna had taken her on a walking tour of Mystic Falls during which she'd spotted a little house that looked strangely like the one she grew up in. It was practically identical, save for the absence of a porch swing. She'd told Damon about it in the car as they'd travelled home, and how she used to sit on her family's swing with her mom, talking about friends or boys or cooking, or sometimes, sitting in silence as her mom braided her hair. She hoped the owners of the house in Mystic Falls loved it as much as she'd loved hers.

X

5:30am - the time Elena had deemed acceptable to get up - came around far too slowly. There wasn't much to do in the early hours of the morning if you were confined to a single room. With her eyes heavy, she crossed the short distance from her room to the kitchen to make a large pot of coffee. She'd need at least two cups before work if she was to get through her shift.

"Elena?" Caroline mumbled, rubbing her eyes as she opened the door of her bedroom. "You're up early."

"Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

"S'okay. Is that coffee ready yet?"

"Give it a few minutes," she replied. Caroline nodded and joined her friend at the counter, not even trying to stifle the large yawn that escaped her mouth.

"You didn't sleep last night?"

Elena shrugged. "I got a few hours."

"You can't keep going on this this you know. Maybe you should think about seeing someone or trying some diaz-"

"- No." Her voice was assertive. "It'll get better. I was stupid to think that things would go back to normal straight away."

"What did you do all night?"

Elena grabbed two mugs from the cupboard and poured them full of freshly-brewed coffee, adding the usual amount of sugar, plus a little extra for both of them. "Internet window shopping."

Caroline yawned and Elena frowned. "What were you doing? You look more exhausted than I feel."

"Sexting session."

"Ew! Care!"

"You asked!"

"Yeah," she conceded. "I suppose I did."

X

It came as an incredibly pleasant surprise to Elena that both Caroline and her had been given the weekend of the 21st off work. It had made her wonder whether Caroline might have mentioned something to Klaus, and if so, how many strings he'd been able to pull. It certainly wasn't like it was him who was in charge of the shifts. Still, she was grateful either way; her best friend had already made plans to visit her mom who lived in Connecticut and it meant that she could go to Ric and Jenna's wedding in Mystic Falls.

When she'd called Damon to let him know, he'd told her they were flying; less time travelling meant more time drinking and having a good time and he'd be damned if he wasn't going to have a great time at his best friend's wedding. She hadn't had time to argue when he texted her a picture of her ticket - bought with his air miles because, apparently, he'd racked up quite the collection - what with the amount of shifts she was doing at the hospital and the fact that he too, was incredibly busy with work. His own time spent in the hospital had meant a large backlog of paperwork needed catching up on, and although he didn't need to visit the office often, it had been better that he wasn't working from home.

It was still rather dark when Damon picked her up the morning before Ric and Jenna's wedding. Early fall had settled into the air, and it was now cool enough that she needed a jacket and scarf as they walked towards the subway station. He'd refused to leave his precious Camaro parked at the airport for the weekend and so he dragged their suitcases along the sidewalk, despite several protests from Elena that she could manage hers quite fine.

The flight was short and went without issue. They'd barely seemed to get up in the air before they began their descent into Newport News-Williamsburg airport, the captain announcing that the weather looked to be set fair all weekend. Elena grinned at Damon and he rolled his eyes.

"Don't get all mushy. I know how women get at weddings,"

She just raised an eyebrow. "Then you shouldn't have asked me to come."

Ric picked them up from the airport in a car that Elena figured must have been pretty cool, because Damon spent a while whistling and fingering the leather seats. The ride was spent with both Ric and Damon telling her all of the stories of their misspent youth where, she discovered, they'd been kicked out of every high school dance of their senior year for being drunk. They also dated...or...enjoyed...their way through most of the female population of Mystic Falls before Jenna walked into the grill one night when they were playing pool, did more shots of bourbon than they'd ever seen anyone do, and Ric declared he would marry her.

"Is that when you met Katherine?" Elena asked. Ric's laughing stopped and she sensed that Damon's ex girlfriend had been a source of conflict.

"I met her in New York," Damon said.

"She didn't enjoy her trip here," Ric added. "City girl."

Nobody said anything else, and Elena turned her attention back to the scenery flashing past the windows. The trees were already various hues of gold and red - fall well and truly settled in in Virginia.

Ric dropped them off at the boarding house - the name Damon used to refer to his family home - and after unpacking, Elena found herself wandering the downstairs before she reached the library. It was pretty cold and Damon was busy lighting a fire in the parlour while she chose a book to read. It was clear that the room was rarely used - even though Ric had a key to check on the house each week. She scanned the shelves, noting all the classics and some incredibly old leather-bound books that were more than likely first editions. Not wanting to cause them any damage, Elena moved on to the next set of shelves which appeared to house some old cookbooks. She selected one with a blue front cover entitled Cucina Della Cameriera and fingered the pages delicately. The entire thing was written in Italian of course - and she had no clue as to what it said.

"The Maid's Kitchen," Damon said, leaning against the door frame. "I think our cook had that whole thing memorised."

"Can you read it?" Elena asked.

"I'm a little rusty. Can probably figure it out though. Are you wanting to cook something from it?"

She felt rather silly for blushing - was she that obvious? "We could make something for dinner? If you want to."

"You want proper Italian food, I can do better than that book," he nodded towards the open pages. "True Italian cooks make dishes that have been passed down through generations. Families tweak their own recipes over the years until they have their version of perfect. What do you fancy?"

"I have no idea. You pick."

"You like chicken?"

"Who doesn't?"

Damon just smiled. "Come on then."

"Where are we going?"

"Shopping. We can't cook without the proper ingredients. The town store might not be a Tuscan market but it sells the basics. Let's go."

X

When they got back from the store, the fire Damon had set in the hearth was roaring to life and had filled the room with a pleasant warmth that was beginning to spread throughout the house. Elena followed him into the kitchen where he set about gathering two chopping boards and a knife each.

"You ready for your first Italian cooking lesson?" he asked her.

She turned towards him, beaming, "Can't wait."

As she was slicing the onions, Elena cast her eyes over to Damon who was filleting a chicken as though he was some kind of expert butcher. Just as he turned, he caught her gaze and smiled - the kind of smile that lit up his eyes, making them seem even more cerulean than usual. She was lost for words. Nobody had smiled at her like that before.

"You almost done?" he asked.

"Yep, just got one more to do."

"You know how to make a pesto?"

"No, but I'm guessing you do. You're good at everything."

He made his way across the kitchen to rummage around in the cupboard next to her. "Hardly, baby."

Elena stopped slicing the onion. Looking at Damon who was setting a pestle and mortar on the counter, she wondered whether he knew the increasing effect he was beginning to have on her. He busied himself with finding the garlic and pine nuts they'd bought, seemingly oblivious to the term of endearment slip. She liked it.

"Can I watch?" she asked. "So I know what to do next time?"

"You're going to do it this time," he replied. "Here."

He held the pestle out to her and she took it, positioning herself in front of the ingredients he'd set out on the counter. Damon moved so that he was behind her, her back grazing his chest.

"Put a couple handfuls of pine nuts in with a pinch of salt," he instructed. "Give them a good pound."

Elena did as he said, trying not to spill any over the sides. "You're cooking Elena," he said, as if reading her exact intentions. "If you don't make a mess, you're not doing it right."

She smiled and leaned forward a little so that she could use more of her weight to help. "This okay?"

"Perfect. Just enough to break them a little will do. Now, you need a good glug of olive oil and then you can add a couple cloves of garlic."

"You should have your own show on the Food Network."

"I doubt anyone would watch."

Not true, she thought. She'd definitely watch.

Damon tore in some basil and smiled as she pressed down forcefully and a slug of oil dripped down onto the counter.

"Sorry," she said softly, before remembering he'd told her it was fine.

"Here," he placed his right hand over the top of hers and at the unexpected contact, Elena almost dropped the marble implement. "You have to put some force in if you want to get it smooth."

With his hand encasing hers, he moved the pestle in a circular motion as he ground the ingredients to a smooth paste.

"There." She felt him smile against her hair. "Perfect."

They took a chicken breast each and coated the top with the pesto mixture before slicing an opening down the middle to stuff mozzarella into.

"We can make some crushed potatoes while it's cooking," Damon said, pulling the next ingredients from the brown bag on the kitchen island. "These are the easiest thing in the world to make."

They were. And so, while dinner was cooking, Damon uncorked a bottle of Bardolino and they sat in the parlour in front of the fire, a glass of wine each on the table. They talked more about high school; Elena told him about the science test she cheated in once, the really terrible yearbook photo in sophomore year when she'd sneezed right as the picture took, and their drill sergeant of a sports coach who made them run laps until they couldn't feel their legs.

"Tell me you were on the cheer squad."

"And so what if I was?" Elena quipped with a raised eyebrow.

Damon simply smirked. "Of course you were."

The oven timer chose that moment to signal dinner was ready, and so they took their glasses to the kitchen, ready to enjoy what they'd cooked together. The thought crossed Elena's mind as she sat down on the chair Damon had pulled out for her, that she could spend every afternoon doing this and never grow tired of it. She hadn't even ever realised how much she enjoyed cooking.

X

When night came and Damon suggested they at least try and get some sleep as the party was likely to carry on until very late the next night, Elena reluctantly drained her glass in front of the fire. Half-leaning against Damon had made her incredibly comfortable, and the thought of going upstairs to a cold bed in which she knew she wouldn't sleep was pretty sobering.

"You want the room next to mine again?" he asked as they made their way up the staircase. "Or…"

He seemed to decide against whatever it was on his lips and Elena felt a surge of disappointment; had he been about to offer his bed? "Or?"

"Nothing. Remember how the latch on the front door works? Just in case you…" he curled the corner of his mouth into a sad smile and Elena stared.

"I remember," she replied softly. "But…"

They were outside of their respective rooms now, both lingering. "But?"

"Nothing." Her voice was practically a whisper. "Good night Damon."

"Night, Elena."

She closed the door behind her at the same time that he entered his own room. She felt breathless all of a sudden, like her heart was beating way too fast. But it wasn't in the way of her nightmares. It was different. Almost...good….different.

Elena settled into the large bed in the knowledge that there was no way she was going to get to sleep any time soon. She didn't feel particularly tired, and that wasn't the only reason her eyes wouldn't close. Briefly, she wondered whether her body might eventually just become so tired that it would force a night of unbroken sleep upon itself. But there was no way that night would be tonight - no matter how much she willed it to happen. Not helping, was the fact that the last time she'd laid in that very bed, she'd had one of the worst nightmares of the lot, and had ended up sleeping in Damon's bed. Perhaps it was only her mind telling her something she wanted to believe, but knowing the last decent sleep she got was in the bed next door - in the arms of the man next door - was making her restless.

After making her mind internally dizzy by replaying images and conversations over and over - those with Stefan, Caroline, Damon, the hospital, her apartment, her high school years back in Smithfield, dancing at the grille with Jenna - Elena couldn't stand it any longer, and threw back the sheets. The floorboards beneath her feet creaked as she opened the door and stopped outside of Damon's room, knocking lightly.

"Damon?"

She pushed the door back a little, to find him asleep, his chest rising and falling in time. Pulling her bottom lip between her teeth, she turned around to head back next door.

"Elena?" His voice was sleepy and she rested her head between the door and the frame.

"Sorry, I didn't mean..." she trailed off as Damon shifted over in his bed, drawing his covers back to expose the space next to him. The silent invitation was all she needed, and Elena smiled, closing his door behind her.

As she climbed in, he turned so that he was on his side and she snuggled under the covers, grateful of the warmth generated from both the down comforter and his body.

"Comfy?" Damon murmured against the back of her head after she'd finished burrowing into the space between him and the sheets. Elena nodded and closed her eyes the moment she felt him press his lips against her hair.

X

The thing that woke Elena was the sound of the rain against the window. As her eyes opened lazily, she was met with grey: Damon's t-shirt. At some point in the night, she'd clearly shifted so that she was facing him, her hands resting on his chest. A smile crept across her lips and grew as she realised by the light that it was morning, and nothing - not a single hint of a nightmare - had woken her. She'd slept. Damon too, it seemed, had enjoyed a restful sleep. His face was soft, his raven hair beautifully ruffled so that he looked like he belonged on a billboard. Elena smoothed some of it away from his forehead and as she turned a little, felt her leg rub against his bottom half. A blush flushed across her face as she realised that she was more than a little satisfied at the feel of him - certainly more than she should be. Deciding the situation could become awkward if she laid there until he woke, she opted to take a shower. It wouldn't hurt to get a head start on getting ready.

By the time she was showered and wrapped in a towel, Damon was awake, smirking far too smugly as she entered the bedroom from his bathroom.

"I was going to complain that you'd left my bed cold," he began, lust coating the edge of his voice. "But suddenly, I've forgotten why I cared so much."

Elena blushed and dipped her head, "You need to get up."

"For someone who slept so well last night, you're awfully bossy."

"How do you know I slept well?"

"The drool on my chest and your incessant snoring."

"I do not snore."

"Oh yes you do," he returned, "Like a trooper too. But don't worry - it was cute."

She huffed theatrically and stomped towards the door. "I'm going to get ready. How long do we have before we have to leave?"

Damon glanced at his watch and grimaced. "Uh, we might have overslept. Can you be ready in an hour?"

"Of course."

"Good."

Elena dried her hair and pulled it up with pins so that it was in a casual twist with the loose tendrils framing her face. It was easy to get ready in her own room, but she was still at a loss as to how easy it was not to sleep in her own room. Sleeping with Damon was something else. As she applied eyeshadow and mascara, she thought about Jenna, who'd be doing the exact same thing...except she'd be getting married. The thought made her smile. She'd never thought about marrying anyone - not once really - and it made her wonder whether marriage would simply be one of those things that wasn't for her. But being a guest at a wedding? That was different. Exciting. She wondered at what point Jenna had realised she wanted to marry Ric. Was it an instant thing like it had been for him? Or maybe the idea had crept upon her until one day it was suddenly there. Completing her eye makeup, she heard a knock on the door.

"You nearly ready?"

"Just need to put my dress on," she told Damon.

"I'll meet you downstairs."

Elena carefully took the dress off of the hanger where she'd left it last night so as not to crease the material. It slipped over her body easily, and she zipped up the back, smoothing down her sides. It was floor-length and navy, pooling around her feet with delicate beading on both shoulders - small cap sleeves that accentuated her toned arms. They did, of course, expose the skin that even after these few months was still marked, although the red and purple had faded in colour to dull hints. Nobody would be looking at her today however, and so it didn't matter. She slipped her feet into a pair of navy peep toes and grabbed the coat and purse she'd set out on the chair. Elena took one last look in the mirror and made her way downstairs.

X

Lord, Damon could wear a suit. He was standing in the parlour, hands in his pockets looking unnervingly attractive in a full black ensemble. The dark colour of the fabric seemed only to highlight the delicate shade of his skin and the crystal clearness of his eyes. Elena wasn't sure she had caught her breath. And the way he was looking at her...she'd never been looked at like that in her life.

"Damn," he spoke gruffly, his eyes raking from her feet all the way to her hair. "You know how to wear a dress."

Elena's mouth was suddenly dry. "You look…" she cleared her throat, trying to rid her voice of the rasp that had suddenly laced it. "Incredibly handsome."

"We should get going. I'll drop you at the church and then head to Ric's."

"You know I could walk Damon."

"Dressed like that? Like hell you will." He took her coat from her hand, draping it over her shoulders carefully so that he didn't catch the delicate beading of her dress. "Car."

Elena kept her head staring straight in front of her as Damon drove the short distance to the church. His eyes had been darting across to her the whole ride and it was making her feel incredibly... aware of him.

He stopped as close to the church as he could and reached into the backseat. "Here," he said, handing Elena a rather expensive-looking camera. "Usually, I'd take the pictures myself, but today I'm kind of otherwise engaged."

"Damon, I have no idea what I'm doing with this."

"Just point and click," he replied simply. Somehow, that wasn't what he would do, Elena thought.

"Okay."

She grabbed the handle to open the door but Damon's hand on her arm stopped her. "You look beautiful, by the way," he said softly, his eyes sparkling so that Elena suddenly found it hard to draw breath. "I didn't say that earlier."

"Thank you." Her voice was hoarse and she cleared her throat, reaching for the handle again. Damon didn't stop her this time and she stepped out of the car. "See you soon. Don't let Ric drink too much before you guys get back here."

He simply grinned and she found herself breathless again as he waited for her to enter the church before leaving.

X

The ceremony had gone perfectly. Elena had managed to get a picture of Damon and Ric standing at the front of the church, waiting for Jenna to arrive. When she had, Elena had also managed to get a photo of Ric as he stared at her walking toward him. If there was ever any truth to that idea of the 'look of love', she had managed to capture it in that picture. His eyes had never left Jenna's. The final picture she'd taken before handing the camera back to Damon was of Ric and Jenna walking back down the aisle, hand in hand, beaming smiles on their faces as Jenna's lace dress swept the floor and her strawberry hair bounced gently in soft waves.

There was the token rice and confetti shower outside of the church, then the pictures in the churchyard for which Elena waited until Damon was no longer needed. The two of them left Ric and Jenna to it and walked the short distance to the Mystic Grill. The place had been transformed from the last time Elena had been there, with fairy lights strung across the ceiling, white linen tablecloths covering the dark wood and harvest flowers making the place look absolutely beautiful. It wasn't long before Ric and Jenna joined the guests, and the party was underway.

They ate and drank and talked until the food was cleared away and the band started up. Elena watched as Ric and Jenna danced their first song as man and wife to something significantly more romantic than she might have guessed they'd choose, and she looked at Damon next to her, smiling as he took pictures of his best friend who looked pretty much like he wanted to steal his wife away from everyone and never bring her back.

"Twenty bucks say she's pregnant by Thanksgiving," Damon spoke lowly into Elena's ear with a raised eyebrow and a nod of his head towards the couple.

"Damon!" Elena admonished, but then she looked back at them and couldn't help but giggle. They were now kissing, and not in a particularly PG-13 kind of way.

The song ended and the two forced themselves apart to cheers and whistles, yet neither went red or shied away. Ric just pulled Jenna towards the bar, no doubt, Elena thought, to do some shots.

The band started up with another song Elena had never heard, but it was hauntingly beautiful. She let the lyrics wash over her, her wine glass dangling by her side.

One look and I can't catch my breath

Two souls into one flesh

When you're not next to me

I'm incomplete

'Cause I'm on fire like a thousand suns

I couldn't put it out even if I wanted to

These flames tonight

Look into my eyes and say you want me, too

Like I want you

She felt her glass being lifted out of her hands at the same time as Damon's voice spoke into her ear and danced tingles down her neck, "Dance with me."

She nodded as he placed her glass on a table and took her hand in his, entwining their fingers so that she wasn't sure where his hand ended and hers began. They reached the dance floor and took up a spot towards the back, partially hidden by other couples, where Damon placed his left hand on the bare skin of her back, rubbing his thumb in a circular motion as he pulled her towards him. Elena's own right hand was resting on his hip - underneath the expensive material of his suit jacket - and she laid her head softly against him until all she could feel and smell and see was Damon.

Oh, love, let me see inside your heart

All the cracks and broken parts

The shadows in the light

There's no need to hide

They stayed that way for a long time, simply swaying backwards and forwards without ever breaking apart. Everywhere his hands touched seemed to set her skin alight; Elena was glad of being able to lean against him - she wasn't sure she'd have been able to stand up unaided. She risked a peek up at his face to find him looking back down at her, eyes glowing and soft and safe. She smiled and pulled back enough that she could reach on her tip toes to his ear,

"Thank you for bringing me."

Damon opened his mouth to say something but seemed to decide against it, instead, smoothing a kiss against her head as she rested back against him. Elena knew in that moment that they'd reached a point where they weren't just friends. She wanted his hands on her, his lips on her. She wanted to go to sleep later in his bed, in his arms. And she wanted to wake next to him without feeling the need to get up before any awkwardness set in.

X

By 3am, most of the guests had left the grill, including Damon and Elena. He'd brought her coat and held it for her to put on, waiting for her to tie it before smiling.

"Ready to go?"

She nodded and leaned into him. Tiredness, more so than the amount she'd had to drink, was making her eyes heavy and Elena was grateful that he'd suggested they head back. Their flight wasn't until 4pm the next day but Damon had said they might take a walk around the town before leaving and while she couldn't explain how excited she was at seeing the place he grew up with him, it didn't matter. With his hand on the small of her back, Damon guided her out into the street. The air pinched and nipped at her skin - it was definitely moving towards winter.

The walk didn't take too long - even in her heels - and the house was relatively warm considering there had been no fire lit. They didn't say much as Damon locked the door and took her coat from her, draping it over the back of the couch.

"You want a drink of water or anything?" he asked.

"No thanks," Elena returned sleepily, "I'm good."

She removed her shoes, sighing in comfort as her feet touched the cool floor.

"Better?" Damon asked.

"Much better."

"Come on then," he said softly, jerking his head towards the stairs.

Elena removed her dress in the privacy of her room, hanging it up back where it had rested the previous night. She slipped into her pajamas - long, plaid bottoms and a tank top - and took the pins out of her hair, grabbing a tie to secure it in a messy bun as she made her way to the bathroom. Next went her makeup as she washed her face before brushing her teeth. Pulling her hair free, she placed the tie on the dresser and shut off the light, closing the door behind her. It was pointless pretending that they were going to sleep anywhere other than his bed.

Damon was sitting up under the sheets with his back against the pillows. He watched as she closed the door behind her with a tired smile, her eyes focusing on the naked planes of his chest.

"Your bullet wound," Elena said softly. "It's healing."

"Haven't had a dressing on for two days," he replied. "Although having you change it wasn't the worst thing that's ever happened to me."

As if reading her slight hesitation, Damon drew back the covers for her and she slipped under them, sighing gratefully as her body sunk into the mattress. He turned out the light and she shifted so that she was facing him. The moon was bright and filtered a pale half-light through the drapes so that they could both make out each other. There was no uncertainty tonight as Damon stretched out his arm so that Elena could rest her head in that crook between his neck and his chest, lightly grazing his skin with her fingertips.

"They looked so in love," she mumbled quietly. "So happy."

"You looked really happy."

Elena yawned, "I was. Am. I like being here," she yawned again. "With you."

When she felt him smile against her hair, she tilted her head to to look at him. But before her eyes could reach his, they landed on his lips - half parted and looking so warm and soft. Inches away. As her eyes finally did reach his, she found them watching her, the clearness of his blue irises evident even in the minimal light. Carefully, she pushed herself up onto her forearms and leaned her head so that she could see him just that little bit better. He was waiting. Waiting for her to tell him it was okay. And it was. With the slightest nod of her head, Elena signalled to him, and Damon pressed his lips against hers, his hand holding her at the base of her head, just below her ear.

Elena felt goosebumps erupt across her skin, followed by tingles that felt like a burn and she wasn't sure whether she was hot or cold or feverish but whatever it was, she didn't want it to stop. Damon's lips were gentle, sucking and licking across hers so that her whole world in that moment became him. Just him. He tasted like bourbon and spice and she pressed against him a little harder, opening her mouth wider so that his tongue could slip inside. When it did, Elena let her own trace the inside of his mouth, a soft, satisfied moan vibrating gently at the back of her throat. She felt him smile against her and would've rolled her eyes had they been open. But they weren't open because she was enjoying just feeling him. Feeling the way his lips felt against hers, the way one hand held the back of her neck as the other was wrapped around her back. She was safe. She was safe, she was safe and he had made her feel that way.

She had to pull away eventually, when there was no air left inside of her lungs, but he kept her body against his, warming her skin from his touch. Damon pressed a kiss against her forehead, then, as her eyes closed, waiting for his lips on hers again, she gasped as they landed on her right eyelid, then her left, then below her ear and down to her arm where the faint marks still laid. It was almost too much as he worked across to the other arm and back up, under her other ear and to her lips which were waiting, half-open for him. Elena didn't offer her tongue this time, and it was a different kiss to before. He was promising her something.

"I want to be the person you can run to," he whispered against her lips, pulling back only slightly. His eyes were open, and a lump formed in her throat. "But not because I'm the only person, but because I'm the one you choose."

He left one more kiss against her lips, then resettled them so that her head was on his chest and his hands were weaving through her hair, pulling his fingers from the roots to the tips. She knew what he meant. He didn't want to be the only one she could trust. They both needed to know that she was there because she wanted to be, and not because she needed it. She wanted to thank him, but it didn't seem appropriate. She didn't want him to think she was thanking him for giving her a choice. Because she should have a choice. It was only now that she'd realised it. And so with her left arm reaching across his chest, she curled her fingers delicately around the dark hair near his ear and traced circles around his scalp. Smiling as she realised he was asleep before her tonight, Elena closed her eyes and let her lips rest against his chest.


Disclaimer: The song is not mine. All credit goes to Ross Copperman for what (for me) is the most beautiful song ever. Couldn't think of a better fit for this chapter, even though I researched so many different ones.