"I- We-" Elena pulled across the couch and Damon stood.
"I heard Elena wasn't feeling well, so I came over to keep her company." said Damon managing to look nonchalant. "I just thought some company might do her good."
"That's great but shouldn't Stefan be the one over here?" said Jenna looking between the two of them pursing her lips. "He is Elena's boyfriend."
"True." said Damon. "But Stefan wasn't available so I came in his place."
"That's nice of you." said Jenna sounding not entirely genuine. "Elena would you mind helping me get a couple more bags out of the car?"
"Sure." said Elena. "Can you pause the movie Damon? I don't want to miss anything."
"Of course." he said. Elena bit her lip following Jenna outside knowing what was coming.
"Would you like to explain why you're cozying up to your brother's boyfriend?" said Jenna snapping the door shut behind them. "A few days ago I walked out onto the porch to find you kissing him and now I come home to find you laying on top of him. What the hell are you thinking?"
"What you saw on the porch wasn't what you thought it was." said Elena. "It wasn't- I wasn't myself that night. And we were just watching a movie. Aunt Jenna I know what I'm doing." She looked down avoiding Jenna's gaze.
"Are you sure about that?" said Jenna. "Because it seems like you're digging yourself down a pretty deep hole."
"Look I can handle myself." said Elena. "You don't have to worry about me."
"Alright." said Jenna raising an eyebrow. "But, just so you know if Damon has something on you-"
"He's not blackmailing me." said Elena almost laughing.
"Ok." said Jenna raising her hands in mock surrender. "You can still come to me for help."
"I don't need help." said Elena stepping inside. As she pulled open the door, she almost ran into Damon and she stumbled back. "God." she said. "You scared me."
"Should I go?" he said quietly looking over her shoulder at Jenna glaring at him.
"I think you should pretend to go then sneak in my window." she said subtly running a finger over his chest.
"Well I agree." he said catching her hand. "But I think I should come back in a few hours. It'll give Jenna some time to calm down and you time to finish the movie. We'll talk about it when I get back." He bent down to kiss her but pulled back as he caught Jenna looking at them. "Tonight." he said. He walked out past Jenna. "Well, now I know she's got someone else to watch out for her I guess I can head home."
"That sound like a good idea." said Jenna.
"Bye Elena. Bye Jenna." he smiled back at Jenna.
Jenna quickly sped inside with the last few bags and Elena walked inside with her. "Do you want some dinner?" said Jenna.
"No, Damon made me dinner." said Elena. "I think I'm going to finish the movie it's really good."
"What movie is it?" said Jenna looking over Elena's shoulder as she restarted the movie.
"Gone with the Wind." she said smiling as she settled back into the couch.
"Did Damon choose that?" said Jenna sounding astounded.
"Yeah." said Elena propping her elbow up on the arm of the couch and leaning on her hand. "He likes it."
"Who knew?" said Jenna unloading groceries into the fridge.
"If you spent some time with him you'd be surprised." said Elena watching the movie.
...
Elena sat up in her bed looking down at the dark blue shorts and black tank top she had worn to bed. She looked back up at the window for the millionth time waiting to see Damon. She looked down at her glowing alarm clock then back to herself. She had been looking in the same circuit since she'd gone to bed two hours ago. As she started to think that Damon wasn't coming she heard a knock at her window and her head snapped up.
She ran to the window unlatching it and pulling it open. "What took you so long?" she said not moving aside to let him in.
"I had to get something and it took a little longer to find then I expected." he said. "Now please let me in."
"Fine." she said stepping aside as he crawled through the window. One he was through he pulled her to him kissing her as he ran his hands through her hair. She pulled back looking at him. "I thought you weren't coming."
"Of course I was." he said running his hand down her neck. "You don't have to doubt me." he said. "If I say I'm going to be here, I'll be here."
"Ok." she said. "Good because I was really driving myself crazy." She kissed him wrapping her arms around his neck as his hands slid down her back. "Now," she said. "What did you have to get the kept you from getting back on time?"
"Well, seeing as you've stopped wearing the vervain necklace Stefan gave you-"
"It doesn't feel right to wear something he gave me after I ended things with him."
"I feel the same way." said Damon. "But you still need protection from Katherine and other unforeseen threats." He reached in his pocket and pulled something out. "Which is why I had to find this." He dropped a long chain with a with an oval pendant swinging from it. He watched her face as she caught it looking at it in the dim light. It was a locket with a cameo emblazoned on the front. The image was standing out against the black background was an ivory rose surrounded by a few leaves.
"Damon..." she said looking at it as she ran her fingers over the engraved surface. "This is beautiful."
"I've had it since before I met Katherine." he said pulling it into his palm. "I bought it because my mother told me I'd find someone special enough to give it to."
"And you never gave it to Katherine?" she said catching his eye.
"No." he said. "I thought about it a few times but it just didn't feel right. I had to go through my old room to find it and I forgot where I hid it. Then I had to get down to the basement, and pick vervain with the gloves, get it in the locket..." he trailed off. "These details probably bore you. The short story is now you have some new vervain protection."
"I love it." she said turning around and pulling her hair back. He lowered it over her neck and fastened the clasp. She turned back around kissing him running her hand up over his shoulders. "It's beautiful." she said touching it gently.
"So are you." he said running his thumb over her cheek. She looked up at him and he felt her cheeks grow warm under his finger. "What are you blushing for?"
"I'm not used to being called beautiful." she said.
"I don't know why." he said. "I'm amazed you don't hear it ten times a day." She smiled and stood up on her toes to kiss him. He ran his hands down over her sides pushing his hands back up, under her tank top.
"Stop." she said quietly pulling back. "We can't."
"Why?" he said tightening his hands around her. "The thought of that body pressed against me was the only thing keeping me going insane at the thought of spending a night down hallway from a brother who wants to kill me. Well, more than usual."
"Well, Jenna is still pretty suspicious so I'm pretty sure she's sitting in her room right now listening for you."
"Well, she hasn't heard me yet so-" He ran his hand up her spine and he felt her shiver.
"Damon if you keep going in the direction I think you're going won't be quiet much longer." she said pushing herself away from him.
"You are quite loud." he whispered into her ear as he pulled himself into her. She turned around but he pressed himself into her back. "I've been replaying your moans in my head all day."
"Well keep playing them," she said finally pulling herself away from him. "Because you are not getting any new material tonight."
"Then can I get something for my troubles?" he said. "I did come all the way over here. And I brought jewelry."
"Very pretty jewelry." She said fingering it. "Fine." she said biting back a grin as she sighed, rolling her eyes. She eyed her door before stepping into him.
"Don't worry." he said. "If I hear her coming up the stairs I'll jump out the window."
"Well," she said. "Only if you're sure." She rushed into him throwing her arms around his neck. He was stunned for a few seconds but he quickly tangled his hands in her hair as she moaned quietly in his ear. She pushed her chest against him and his fingers ran over her neck but finally pulled away.
"Ok if we do that much longer I'm going to start making some pretty suspicious sounds."
"Ok." he said. "But, don't forget I'm going to help you through tomorrow."
"How?" she said.
"You'll see." he said stealing one more quick kiss before ducking out the window. She fell back into bed running her fingers over the necklace.
"Elena?" she sat up looking instinctively towards the window but when she saw a sliver of light cut across her bed she turned towards her door.
"Jeremy?" she said. "What are you doing here?"
"I just got back home and I thought I heard voices." He leaned in and dropped his voice to a whisper. "Is Stefan under the bed or something?"
"No!" she said laughing. "No one's in here."
"Oh," he said returning his voice to a normal speaking level. "Well, if he was I'd cover for you."
"Thanks Jer." she said tucking herself under the sheets.
"Hey, what happened to your necklace?" he said.
"What about it?" she said gripping at the chain.
"That's not the one Stefan gave you."
"Oh yeah, I got a new one." she said looking down at it turning over the pendant.
"I like it better then the old one." he said. "This one seems more like you."
"I like this one too." she said.
"Well unless you need me to fight of any boys hidden in your closet, I'm going to bed."
"Night Jer."
"Night Elena." Elena laid down tucking her arm under the pillow. She held onto the necklace with her other hand as she drifted off to sleep.
...
Elena woke the next morning still gripping the necklace. For the first time in weeks she had woken up smiling. She stretched her arms over her head and sat up swinging her feet to the side of her bed. She opened her drawers and pulled on a pair of dark jeans. She reached towards her usual dark blue tank tops but a thought struck her and as she glanced up into the mirror she saw a shadow of Damon's smirk in the corner of her mouth. She dug through her drawers until she found a black t-shirt with a deep neckline. She went to pull on the shirt but at the last minute she pulled on a deep red tank that looked like the one she had worn to bed with Damon on underneath the black shirt. She looked at herself in the mirror and was happy to see the shirt and her hair covered the bites on her neck and she quickly pulled on a thick black bracelet to cover the fading bite mark on her wrist. She ran down the stairs and past the kitchen throwing her book bag over her shoulder.
"Elena, don't you need breakfast?" said Jenna.
"I forgot I have to get to school early today. No time." she said pausing briefly to grab a granola bar.
"Well, someone's in a good mood this morning." she said looking at Elena's grin.
"I got a good night sleep." said Elena. "And I think Damon really helped stave of that cold."
"Damon-"
"Is a really nice guy." Elena said and ran out the front door. She walked down the driveway and was climbing into her car when she heard a car horn behind her. She turned around and saw Damon grinning at her from his Camaro.
"Need a ride?" he said through the window.
"Is this just a clever ruse to get me to go to Georgia again?" she said closing her car door and leaning on it.
"Of course not." he said. "If I wanted to do that again I would have gone down the road a few feet and flipped your car over and then rescued you from the wreckage and dragged you unconscious into my car."
"Well then," she said. "I guess you can give me a ride." She ran around his car and climbed into the passenger seat. "Hey." she said quietly. Damon leaned across the the car to kiss her but she pulled back looking up at her house.
"What's wrong?" he said looking at her.
"Jenna." she said looking up at the kitchen window.
"Got it." he said and the car sped forward. After going down the road for about ten minutes he turned a corner into the parking lot of a shopping center. As soon as the car came to a full stop he disappeared from sight. Before Elena could turn her head to look for him he pulled her out of her seat and pinned her to the car.
"Jesus." she gasped. "I told you I can't get used to that."
"Sorry." he said. He leaned into her kissing her.
"Ok I'm over it." she said running her hands through his hair. She smiled up at him biting her lip.
"Did you survive the night without me?" he said running his hand through her hair.
"Barely." she said. She looked down at his black t-shirt and giggled. "We match."
"It looks good on you." he said. "But it'd look better off." He ran his hand under the edge of her shirt.
"I still have to go to school." she said. "But trust me I agree completely."
"Are you sure you have to go?" he said pulling back to look at her.
"Don't tempt me." she said. "I'm barely making myself go. But I can't hide forever."
"The necklace really suits you." he said running his fingers over her neck then let his fingers trail over her bare skin. Her breath caught as his fingers ran down the chain to where the pendant sat in her cleavage. His fingers stopped as her hit the edge of the red tank top peeking out from the shirt. "God, you wore this and you expect me to keep my hands off you?"
"Yeah." she said. "But it doesn't mean I have to make it easy."
"For which one of us?" He said letting his hand rest at her waist. She caught at his forearms but she looked up at him.
"Thank you." she said. "For everything."
"Of course." he said. "Now lets get you to school." He stole one quick kiss before walking around the car again. As they both sat back in the car, Elena watched him as he turned out of the parking lot and drove towards the school.
"Is this the idea you had to make today better?" she said.
"One of many." he said waggling his eyebrows at her.
"I'm looking forward to the rest." she said. "Although I've gotta say I'm looking forward to the look one everyone's face when I drive up with you."
"So am I." he said. "One quick question though."
"Fire away." she said.
"I know I was up early to make sure I caught you, but why were you up and out so fast?"
"My locker is right next to Stefan's." she said dropping her eyes. "I thought if I got here early enough I could avoid running into him."
"Sneaky." he said.
"I thought so." she said.
"Ok, another question." he said.
"Go ahead." she said looking out the window.
"Do you want people to know about us?" he said staring ahead.
"Do you?" she said looking over at him.
"I asked you first." he said.
"Well, I'm assuming you do." she said. "Or you wouldn't be driving me to school or asking me."
"That's not an answer." he said.
"Yes." she said. "I want people to know."
"So I'm allowed to maul you in the school parking lot?" he said raising an eyebrow.
"No!" she said laughing as they rounded the corner.
"Why?" he said.
"I don't know." she said.
"Unless you give me an answer I'm going to do it." he said.
"Well." she said. "I guess one kiss wouldn't hurt." she said
"I'll try to restrain myself but I make no promises." They pulled into the school parking lot. Elena looked out the window. There were a lot less people then there usually were when she got to school but still more then she expected. Thankfully she didn't see Bonnie, Caroline or Matt among them. "Is dear here?" he said looking around.
"No." she said. "Thank god for small favors." She sat back in the black seats looking at the ceiling. She closed her eyes and ran her hands through her hair exhaling slowly.
"You gonna be ok?" he said watching her.
"I'll be fine." she said dropping her hands and opening her eyes. "You being here helps a lot." He smiled at her and got out of the car. She watched the other students start to stare as she got out and met Damon at the back of his car. "I'm starting to rethink that kiss." she said staring out at them.
"Why?" said Damon staring back at them leaning on his car.
"Because I just ended things with Stefan and people will think I'm a whore if I'm making out with his brother the next day."
"Who cares what people think?"
"I do." she said. "I'm a teenage girl. That's on like page one of the manual: You must care about what everyone thinks about you all day, every day." She looked at the girls pulling out their phones and frantically typing away. "And me showing up with you is already getting people talking."
"Well then," he said stepping in front of her. 'I'll guess I'll have to wait until later." He pulled her into him. The hug may have looked platonic to the surrounding students but Elena felt his hands grip her sides and she felt her heart race.
"You're making it very hard for me not to attack you." she whispered.
"You have no idea." he said. "I have a very strong urge to throw you down on the back of my car."
"Fight it." she said pulling back. "For now." she smiled fingering the rose pendant as she walked into school and Damon got back into his car. She got to the steps and turned to watch his car speed out of the parking lot. As she crossed the threshold of the school she sighed. She started to feel like she might actually be able to survive the day.
But as she turned the corner she felt her smile fade away. Stefan was leaning on the wall of lockers looking at her. "You're here early." he said.
"What, have you been standing there waiting for me?" she said stomping over to her locker. She twisted the lock around viscously as he looked down at her.
"I knew you'd try to avoid me." he said standing behind her.
"Then take that as a hint." she said. "And just leave me alone."
"We didn't get a chance to talk things out the other night." he said.
"You want Katherine, I want Damon. What more is there to say?" she said pulling books out of her locker.
"Elena, it's not like I did anything terrible to you. Can we just talk?"
"Fine." she said slamming her locker shut. He leaned against it and looked up at him. "Talk."
"We had a good thing going for long time. Do you really want to end it like this?"
"Yes." said Elena. "I've known you didn't love me for a while and I denied my feeling for Damon for as long as I could because I hoped you'd start to actually feel something for me. In the end I knew that if Katherine ever came back we'd be over. Now she's back. Damon and I have something special, something you and I never had."
"Damon is in lust with you, Elena. He always wants what he can't have and now that he has you he'll get tired of you."
"Damon is not like that." she said walking away from the lockers. "And the fact that you'd say that just proves how desperate you are. Just go be with Katherine and leave us alone." She went to walk by him but he caught her arm.
"Where did you get that?" said Stefan looking down at her.
"Get what?" said Elena looking up at him.
"The necklace." he said.
"Damon." she said. "I wasn't going to wear the one you gave me anymore and I wasn't going to go out without protection." Elena held to it looking down at the engraved rose.
"Elena-" he said reaching out to her again.
"Don't. she said "Stefan, I'm done talking to you. In fact I'm just done." She pulled herself out of his grip and stomped down the hallway. She pushed the door into the girls room and braced herself on one of the sinks. She inhaled deeply and leaned against the wall gazing skyward. She desperately wished Damon was there to wrap his arms around her but she had to be content by comforted herself by holding tight to the pendant.
She exhaled and headed out the door. She hadn't walked more than ten feet out the door before one of the girls from her old cheer squad with stepped in front of her. "Hey Elena!" she said smiling.
"Hi." she said startled by the cheery face. She found herself utterly unable to remember the girls name.
"So am I crazy or did Damon Salvatore drive you to school today in that hot Mustang?"
"It's a Camaro but yeah Damon drove me to school."
"Why?" she said tilting her head.
"My car wouldn't start this morning." she said.
"But why didn't Stefan give you a ride?" she said. "Isn't he your boyfriend
"He was already at school and Damon was closer." Elena tried to step around her. She side stepped Elena blocking her path.
"But you are still dating Stefan?" she said looking at Elena. "Right?"
"Look I really have to get to class-" she tried to step around her again
"Why? The bell doesn't ring for another twenty minutes." she stepped in front of her again.
"I just have to-" said Elena rolling her eyes and sighing deeply.
"Run off and see your boyfriend Stefan?" she said flashing her bright smile again.
"Stefan and I aren't dating anymore!" said Elena finally snapping.
"Oh." said the cheerleader biting back a grin. "I am so sorry. If you need to talk, call me. Ok?"
"Yeah." she said. "I'll do that." She watched as the girl scurried away frantically thumbing away at her phone.
"Shit." Elena mumbled pulling her phone out of her bag.
"Miss me already?" Elena could hear Damon's smirk through the phone.
"Well yes." she said leaning into an alcove in the hallway. "But Pep Squad Barbie cornered me and I cracked." she said.
"What exactly does that mean? Cracked about what?" he said.
"Stefan and I breaking up." she said. "She grabbed me coming out of the bathroom and I crumbled."
"Did you tell her you dumped my baby brother for me?"
"Not exactly." she said. "But she saw you drop me off. She may be flunking first year Spanish but she can put the pieces together."
"Is that such a bad thing?" he said.
"Not exactly." she said. "But I would have preferred to tell people myself and by now she's texting half the school."
"Well I'm sorry about the cheer ambush but maybe this is the easiest way to spread the word."
"I guess." she said. "Any way you'd consider dropping by at lunch?"
"I was already planning on kidnapping you." he said. "But since you insist on ruining the surprise I'll meet you out front at lunch."
"Now I have something to look forward to." said Elena watching the hallways start to fill.
"Four hours." he said. "I'll see you then."
"See you." she said. She closed her phone and headed towards homeroom. She passed her usual seat by the window and tucked herself in the back.
"Please tell me the bleach has soaked through Bianca's skull and she's spouting nonsense." said Bonnie sliding into the seat next to her.
"What?" said Elena looking up at her friend.
"She texted me that you broke up with Stefan and you're now dating Damon." she said. "Not only is this ridiculous but if by some bizarre twist of fate it was true, I know you'd tell me yourself." Elena sat looking down into her lap glancing at Bonnie out of the corner of her eye biting her lip nervously. "Oh my god she's not crazy, but you are."
"It just happened. " Said Elena sitting up. "Well we just got together. I mean, I've had feelings for him for a while but things just got all pushed out in the open."
"Damon? Seriously are you out of your mind? He tried to kill me."
"Technically he tried to kill Emily-"
"And Caroline-"
"He just saved her life-"
"And you."
"That was a long time ago." said Elena.
"Not to mention he's completely evil." hissed Bonnie.
"No he's not." said Elena snapping. "He's changed since he got to Mystic Falls. He may have attacked me a couple months ago but he's saved my life countless times since then."
"But he's-"
"Listen I do not want to have to defend my choices to you or anyone else!" said Elena. "If you can't be happy for me just leave me alone." said Elena standing up and moving to the opposite side of the room. Bonnie sat looking at her but did not follow. Elena dug her iPod out of her bag and jammed her headphones into her ears. She didn't hear whatever song was playing, just a dull roaring in her ears. She had known telling people about her break up with Stefan would be difficult but she hadn't planned on telling people about Damon in the same day. Now thanks to a cheerleader with over active thumbs she didn't have a choice.
I know nothing very groundbreaking or exciting happened this chapter but the next one is going to be chock full of it! I threw Jeremy in there for kicks and giggles and for all of you you are massive nerds like I am I actually have an image of Elenas new necklace. If I get enough requests I'll post the link on my profile. I don't know how I'm going to deal with Caroline turning into a vampire yet or if I should even address it. I love all your reviews and well wishes (I think I'm over my cold, hooray!) and all the love! I appreciate the suggestions you give me and while I can't follow all your advice it's great to know what you're thinking. I'll try and write this next chapter as quick as I wrote this one but I make no promises. Keep the reviews coming and spread the love to my other stories too!